Weighing livestock and agricultural produce. - The Draft Master Auto Drafter, is a sheep and pig weighing and drafting (sorting) crate that includes a 4-axis motion control system from Heason Technology to enable automated 3-way gate operation.

Nancy Bradbury has been appointed Director, Human Resources (HR) at AMETEK Land and AMETEK Surface Vision.

Acquisitions strengthen position in electrification and battery test. - NI (National Instruments) has acquired NH Research, LLC, a leader in high power test and measurement applications such as electric vehicles (EV) and batteries. The transaction closed on October 19, 2021. NI is also announcing that it recently entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the EV Systems business of Rosenheim, German-based Heinzinger GmbH, a European leader in high-current and high-voltage power systems and this deal is expected to close in Q1 2022.

MedTech friction problem solved. - Mixing nozzles, used to produce the casting compounds used by dentists, are made of four separate parts and are assembled in the production cell and, like many MedTech products, are disposable, use once items. Final testing, a mission critical part of the production process, had to be based on a friction coefficient test (< 0.5 Nm) on the mixing mechanism of the assembled nozzle. Having worked successfully with Kistler on other projects, Jonas & Redmann looked to the sensor company for a solution.

Homecoming for test automation. - Test Automation University (TAU) has surpassed 100,000 enrolled students Applitools has announced. This marks the single largest free online education community for test automation in the world. “TAU: The Homecoming.” will be a virtual celebration event with workshops, interactive sessions with instructors, giveaways and more.

Integrated stepper motors with wireless. - JVL Industri Elektronik has recently added a Wireless Industrial Ethernet communication option to its ServoStep™ integrated stepper motor series. Application areas include battery powered AGVs , remotely operated machinery, theatre & stage automation systems etc, or where motion control from a tablet or mobile phone is required.

DIN-Rail Control PCs. - The latest addition to Advantech’s UNO-1 series of IoT gateway devices, UNO-148, bring Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake Core power to Impulse Embedded's range of compact DIN-rail mountable industrial computers.

How to mitigate process control safety risks - Automation and safety systems protect us from serious incidents. Here’s how to prevent these potential catastrophes before they occur by applying proper safety procedures and standards. (Automation 2021: Control Systems Ebook)

Call for bold climate policy. - Johnson Controls has joined a call on governments to work with the private sector to accelerate the race to net zero. Lending its support to an open letter issued by the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, Johnson Controls has urged world leaders to seize the opportunity presented by the upcoming UN COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow to set out bold policy agreements to give the world a chance of limiting the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C and achieving a just transition.

27/10/2021

Serving network security and intelligent edge computing in Europe. - The newly founded European subsidiary of Lanner Electronics is headquartered at the HSD Campus in The Hague (NL), further strengthens the company's presence by expanding its hardware design and manufacturing services of advanced and customizable network appliances and Intelligent Edge computers to European system integrators, value-added resellers, and software partners. In addition to this Lanner Electronics has also joined the community of Security Delta (HSD) as partner.

FDT Group has appointed Steve Biegacki as Managing Director.

Tiniest camera. - The new XCP camera family of the uEye+ product series from IDS Imaging Development Systems not only combines industrial quality and a favourable system price, but also fills a gap in the market as the smallest camera with housing and C-mount. The models measure only 29 x 29 x 17 mm and have a completely closed zinc die-cast housing with a screwable USB Micro-B connector.

Training & calibration on the Gulf Coast! - Endress+Hauser has invested US$34million (€29.33) in a modern campus near Houston, (TX USA). The 112,000-square-meter campus includes a large new training center, office space for 125 employees, a calibration lab and a repair facility. The new campus reinforces the Group’s presence in the Gulf Coast region of the USA.

Rail industry pressure sensor. - The range of pressure sensors from Variohn Eurosensor continues its range expansion with a new variant that meets the rigorous environmental and performance requirements of the rail transport industry. Tested to EN rail industry standards for EMC, vibration, shock, and corrosion resistance the new EPT3100R is available with IP66 or optionally IP69K protection.

AxialPower enhanced stepper linear actuator. - ElectroCraft enhanced series linear actuators have been available in a NEMA11 frame size for several years but are now being offered in both NEMA17 and NEMA23 frames for greatly enhanced performance capabilities. In addition to multiple frame sizes, motors can be configured in different lengths and winding options to produce the needed motor torque and speed output

Conradh suntasach aimsithe le déantsóir aerastruchtúir. - Tá ÉireComposites tar éis conradh dár luach sna milliún € a shíniú le Spirit AeroSystems, an comhlacht is mó déantúsaíochta aerastruchtúir ar domhan, chun páirteanna struchtúrtha a chur ar fáil do scairdeitleán gnó agus airlínéir tráchtála.
(English Version: ÉireComposites, located a few miles from Read-out in beautiful Conamara, has secured a multi million € contract with Spirit AeroSystems, the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer, to provide structural components for business jets and commercial airliners.)

Monitoring dust collection in Pharma manufacturing is easier with IoT - Using dust collection equipment in the pharmaceutical industry is essential - both in manufacturing and in testing laboratories. That’s partly due to the combustion risk posed by suspended particles in the air generated by various processes and how unaddressed dust could cause product contamination. The sector already uses Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to assist with tasks like production line needs and environmental monitoring. (Laboratory News)

Filters protect generators. - Invenergy has selected Parker’s clearcurrent™ ASSURE filters for its new high efficiency gas turbines at the Lackawanna Energy Center, PA, USA.

Driving sustainability for manufacturing enterprises. - Customers are demanding products with lower carbon footprints, and capital markets are signaling ESG preference as well, and this leads to driving sustainability for manufacturing enterprises. (ARC Advisory)

Making automation easier. - The new MD7 system from Leuze enables powerful automation. It is easy to integrate: IO-Link hubs are a cost-effective way for users to integrate additional digital sensors into the system as required and extend the system in a flexible and economical manner. This ensures that users benefit from consistently transparent data and processes.

Twenty five years in sensors. - Originally founded by Scientist and Entrepreneur Paul Gotley OBE in 1996, Alphasense started life in small premises in Great Dunmow, Essex, (GB). Paul’s daughter, Andrea Gotley, soon took over day-to-day business operations with her father overseeing proceedings in his role as Chairman. A series of astute joint ventures and key research links with British universities enabled Alphasense to develop new technologies and sensor products that opened the door to opportunities in air quality and gas safety markets.

Dual on-line and face-to-face. - Where the boundaries between the real and digital worlds are blurred, there exists a space for new ideas and hybrid concepts: Bolstered by this motif, Pepperl+Fuchs are now combining their exhibit at the SPS trade show in Nuremberg (D) with the company's free "Digital Expo" digital show for the very first time. The aim of the project is to establish an interplay between the respective advantages of analog and digital communication under the motto "Your Future Automation" and to transform both events into a holistic hybrid experience for visitors.

AI in the sewer. - Millions of litres of wastewater generated by households and businesses flow unnoticed through the sewer system to their destination, the wastewater treatment plant. Identifying and locating problems in the underground system has been challenging, but now a system created by the Finnish start-up, Neuroflux, generates automatic alarms when they detect sewage in the wrong place.

Has the printed temperature sensors time come? - Information regarding printed temperature sensors, and indeed about any of the wide variety of printed/flexible sensor technologies, can be found in a recently updated report, "Printed and Flexible Sensors 2022-2032: Technologies, Players, Markets". Technologies covered in the report include printed photodetectors, pressure sensors, gas sensors, capacitive touch sensors, wearable electrodes, and more. Here DTechEx's Dr. Matthew Dyson discusses developments.

ISA has named Claire Ramspeck as Executive Director.

Large area barcode reader. - Cognex Corporation has released the High Speed Steerable Mirror, a patented technology designed for use with the DataMan® 470 barcode reader that supports large field of view applications with a single compact system. It delivers unprecedented single-camera coverage in a compact hardware solution.

Many coloured sockets. - A wide range of 2-pole/mono 3.5mm female jack sockets in a number of colour choices for ease of identification on control panels are offered by Cliff Electronics. Industry standard jack sockets are for for audio, musical instruments, communications, data and instrumentation.

Will the Future of MES and SCADA Be More Closely Mixed? - Despite increasing signs of overlap between SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) and MES (manufacturing execution systems), the two automation mainstays are more likely to co-exist as a tightly knit couple rather than re-emerging as a single powerhouse manufacturing platform. (Automation World)

Advancing the skills of the workforce in the Oil & Gas industry. - Endress+Hauser and the Petroleum Extension (PETEX®), a unit of the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas (Austin TX USA), announce collaboration efforts for training courses starting fall of 2021. PETEX will be hosting courses at Endress+Hauser's Houston (TX USA) campus and will use the manufacturers' PTU, the same PTU where Endress+Hauser's authorized sales and service representative, Vector Controls & Automation Group, hosts Vector University classes for customers in the Gulf region.

The beating heart of Industry 4.0. - As a digital image of machines, components and production simulations from engineering, the digital twin combines live data from production and optimization analyzes. From November 16 to 19, productronica 2021 in Munich (D) will show what opportunities this will create for the electronics production industry.

New performance services enhance inspection systems. - A range of expert system services to ensure optimum levels of operation for the lifetime of its inspection and monitoring products is now available from AMETEK Surface Vision.

London breathing! - The Breathe London pilot project ran over two years from October 2018; monitoring and characterising air quality across one of the world's major cities. With over 100 AQMesh 'pods' located across the city, the Breathe London partners were, for the first time, able to provide hyperlocal detail on London's air quality.

How 1995 Shaped the Future of Automation. - In the world of industrial automation, nothing ever happens fast. We don’t know revolution, only evolution, and 1995 was a special year because it marked the end of an era and the beginning of several new technology paths that Shaped the Future of Automation. (ARC Advisory).

Cost-efficient 5G IoT UE verification. - The Radio Communication Test Station MT8000A 5G Entry Model has been introduced by Anritsu. This is a single-instrument solution that supports multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs) of LTE thru 5G NR including wide and narrow band IoT. The 5G Entry Model is the only solution in its class that can perform LTE, NR FR1 Sub-6 GHz and FR2 millimeter wave (mmWave) measurements, creating a cost-efficient solution for mobile device developers, repair facilities, and test laboratories.

Shutdown valves in critical SIS applications. - The first valve assemblies that meet the design process requirements of Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 per the International Electrotechnical Commission’s IEC 61508 standard have been introduced by Emerson. These Fisher™ Digital Isolation™ final element solutions serve the needs of customers for shutdown valves in critical safety instrumented system (SIS) applications.

Revving electrical vehicles. - Saietta Group Ltd is a research and development company which designs motors for light-weight electric vehicle (EV) propulsion. The company’s latest innovation is the ‘S-AC’ which is an ultra-efficient brushless axial-flux AC motor. It boasts extreme efficiency levels at high torques from low speed onwards.Their team is heavily reliant upon a set of test rigs that it has developed in conjunction with Sensor Technology Ltd.

Affordable & Future-Proof Real-Time Locating Technology - Affordable & Future-Proof Real-Time Locating Technology In today’s interconnected and mobile world, everything moves. If you are considering implementing or upgrading an existing RTLS, consider an omlox RTLS. The standardized interfaces ensure a sustainable and long-lasting solution, while the openness leads to lower upfront costs and overall TCO.

Software partnership for launch in North Wales learning centre. - The EPLAN software and partnership with LCA Group, is due to be unveiled to students at the Coleg Cambria Learning Centre on Thursday, 21 October 2021. The event will include presentations by Alan Sheppard, MD at LCD Group, and Nick Tyson, Vice Principal of the college’s Institute of Technology.

Cell and battery testing. - A full set of test services for the Battery Industry including cell and battery testers up to 2MW and battery simulators for use in research and by OEMs in the electric vehicle, aerospace industry and others is now been offered by Intepro Systems.

Ensuring firm PCB installation. - Foremost Electronics now supply the nVent/Schroff Card-Lok range of innovative high thermal performance and high clamp force PCB retainers for use in rugged environments. The new Card-Lok retainers have been designed to be drop-in replacements for most applications currently using standard Card-Loks and provide on average more than 3X the amount of clamp force compared to similarly sized Card-Loks.

Safe IIoT product certifications. - The ISA Global Security Alliance (ISAGCA) and the ISA Security Compliance Institute (ISCI) have announced the release of a co-sponsored Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) product certification study entitled, "IIoT Component Certification Based on the ISA/IEC 62443 Standard."

Supporting democratization in data science innovation. - Seeq Corporation is expanding its efforts to integrate machine learning algorithms into Seeq applications. These improvements will enable organizations to operationalize their data science investments, and their open source and third-party machine learning algorithms, for easy access by front-line employees.

Putting robots in the hands of operators. - The Franco-American start-up Fuzzy Logic has announced a €2.5 million seed round of financing. Fuzzy Logic, which originated in the French start-up ecosystem (Agoranov and Wilco), is developing an "all-in-one" software platform that dramatically simplifies every step of robotization, from robotic cell design to daily reprogramming in the factory by operators. It reproduces a virtual environment in which the robot in the factory can be controlled "on the fly" and as simply as a video game.

Cybersecurity partnership enables consolidated IT/OT view - On the cybersecurity front, the newest partnership announcement involves Tripwire, a provider of security and compliance software, and Nozomi Networks, a provider of OT (operations technology) and IoT security. This partnership is aimed at lowering industrial companies' cybersecurity risk through "consistent security controls that span IT, operations technology (OT), and IIoT environments." (Automation World)

Automation authors recognised. - The ISA Publications Department have released details of their annual awards for works published by the Society during 2020.

Plant equipment to controls and services to power plant 1 GW. - South Field Energy, a combined cycle natural gas electric generating facility managed by Advanced Power, safely achieved commercial operation in Columbiana County(OH USA) reports GE Gas/Power. This is GE’s third project with Advanced Power. For this project, GE provided the H-Class full combined cycle plant solution – from project financing to full plant equipment to controls and services throughout the full life cycle of the plant.

3D human simulation for CAD. - By integrating the 3D CAD interfaces of the software manufacturer CoreTechnologie into the current version of the Ema Software Suite from IMK Automotive, the simulation tool is now compatible with all common CAx systems.

Why the Industrial Sector needs to rethink displacing data beyond the edge. - The five core challenges process engineering businesses face–and how an Intelligent Edge approach is key to more successful edge deployments. (Automation.Com)

High accuracy temperature & humidity. - Two new versions of Sensirion's fourth-generation humidity sensors have been launched. The SHT41 and SHT45 offer further improved humidity and temperature accuracy specifications, setting the new market and technology standard. The SHT41 is now available worldwide through Sensirion's distribution network; the SHT45 will follow in Q1/2022. Despite the current shortage of semiconductors, Sensirion is proud to offer extremely compelling lead times.

Submersible precision linear position sensor. - Positek has launched a new range of compact and space-efficient linear position feedback sensors aimed at marine, wash-down, harsh industrial, mobile machinery, and similar challenging-environment precision measurement tasks.

Small form factor line replaceable unit computers. - Abaco Systems announced the DAGRX and SAYBRX small form factor (SFF) line replaceable unit (LRU) computers featuring Intel™ processors and flexible I/O delivering high performance in a compact package. The modular I/O approach in both rugged and lab variants empower users to select what is necessary for the application, optimizing size, weight and power (SWaP).

Visually arresting pushbuttons. - In response to escalating market demand EAO has enhanced its popular Series 82 family of push-button HMIs with the addition of devices that feature ultra-high contrast red, green, blue, white or red/green LED illumination. The boosted symbol and halo illumination level provided by the new push-buttons enhances the visibility of standard or custom switch status symbols in most ambient conditions.

Power quality trouble shooter. - The 1770 series Power Quality Data logger/trouble shooter is the first instrument built on Fluke’s future platform for Power Quality Analysers with big gains in both form factor and operability.

Calibration & Test for Vehicle-to-Everything. - Anritsu Corporation is pleased to announce that Autotalks, a V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) communication solutions pioneer and leader, has endorsed its RF calibration and validation test based on Anritsu’s Universal Wireless Test Set MT8870A. The test solution covers all Autotalks Cellular-V2X chipsets designed for advanced safety use cases.

VFD technology for waste disposal. - A meat processing company has worked with Engefi Engenharia Eficiente Ltd to create greater speed control over its compactor, allowing for changes in the incoming quantity and type of waste. Engefi developed a solution that could be integrated into compactors using Optidrive E3 variable frequency drives (VFD).

How recovery from COVID-19’s impact on energy demand could help meet climate targets. - A group of IIASA researchers in the Energy, Climate, and Environment Program performed a bottom-up assessment of changes in energy-related demand and estimated how new patterns of travel, work, consumption, and production might reduce or increase climate mitigation challenges.

Question behind the Question (QBQ). - According to a survey by International Data Information (IDC), companies tread very lightly around IT/OT integration because they are wary about its impact on cybersecurity. Here, Moxa addresses these issues through three Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that are pitted against counter-questions, which the like to call a Question Behind the Question (QBQ), to help bolster cybersecurity strategy.

Level and pressure measurement plant expanded. - Endress+Hauser has invested roughly €4.6 million in the expansion of its Maulburg, (D) location. The project, which took nearly two years to complete, includes a new production and office building with more than 17,000 square feet of space, plus a parking garage. The expansion was in response to strong growth in the area of level and pressure measurement technology.

Flame ionisation detection (FID). - A new, highly innovative, portable gas analyser, the SOLAR XPLORE, has been launched by the Signal Group. One of the company’s core technologies is Flame Ionisation Detection (FID) for the measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the new instrument brings the unique advantages of the latest fixed analysers to a compact, portable device that is set to dominate the market.

Cybersecurity first responder credentialing programme. - The ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance (ISAGCA) and the Incident Command System for Industrial Control Systems (ICS4ICS) have announced the release of a US cybersecurity first-responder credentialing program. (InTECH)

Computing platform for smart devices. - A new SMARC module from Kontron has been introduced by Review Display Systems (RDS). The powerful but energy-saving SMARC-fA3399 module is based on the six-core Arm Rockchip RK3399K processor which features a low power dual-core Cortex-A72 and a quad-core Cortex-A53.

SCADA can accelerate automation. - As industrial automation evolves, how do we keep speaking the same language? It helps to evaluate automation by functions, not components. Think about how industrial automation technologies like SCADA can accelerate application capabilities. (Control Engineering)

Improved Time Synchronization Measurement for 5G Mobile Network I&M. - Anritsu Corporation has added a function for PTP wander, a metrics for evaluating frequency variations as low as 10 Hz to the PTP1 network time synchronization error to the company's smallest-in-class 100 Gbps Network Master Pro MT1000A.

Mini vacuum pumps. - Coval´s new LEMAX IO series of mini vacuum pumps with IO LINK communication integrate all the required functions for optimized vacuum management in a compact package.

Live smart manufacturing. - Analog Devices (ADI) will be at SPS (NOvember 2021) to showcase and discuss its comprehensive, industry-leading sensing and connectivity solutions that are driving the transformation to Digital Industry and enable increased productivity and enhanced efficiency for more sustainable and smart manufacturing – matching the SPS event's tag line of "Smart Production Solutions".

Leading component distributor in Europe. - Anglia has been named 2020 Highest Performing Distributor - Regional Partner, Northern Europe by Bourns following an exceptional performance across a wide range of product lines including, Trimpot, Magnetics and Multifuse. This is the second time that the company has received this award.

Onboard weighing. - To ensure the high standards set for safety and reliability, Onboard Solutions choose load cells and mounting equipment from Zemic, the globally leading sensor manufacturer - supplied and fully supported by its exclusive British distribution partner Variohm EuroSensor.

Time-Sensitive Networking: What, Why and Who - The 2021 ARC Industry Forum Europe focused on “Accelerating Digital Transformation in a Post-COVID World.” The workshop held by the CC-Link Partner Organization CLPA, silver sponsor of the ARC event, summarized the status and benefits of using Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) in Ethernet based networks. (Frank Thomas - ARC ADvisory)

Smart factory for Wales is a first. - Schneider Electric and AVEVA have digitally upgraded their factory in Fflint (CYM). The project, commenced in late 2018 and costing £300,000, will see the site become the Briain's first Schneider Electric smart factory.

Autonomous driving – a future mode of mobility - Electric mobility has reached the present and will continue to play an important role. In future, however, electric mobility is looking increasingly autonomous. From November 16 to 19, productronica 2021 in Munich will show what opportunities the further computerization of the automobile will create for the electronics production industry.

Clamp meter designed for solar installations. - A new clamp meter designed to measure solar installation voltages at the new standard of 1500 V, while offering high safety specifications and being easy to use in congested solar combiner boxes has been launched by Fluke. Their 393 and 393 FC are the world’s first True-rms solar clamp meters to be rated at CAT III / 1500 V DC according to the latest safety standard for clamp meters IEC/EN 61010-2-032:2019.

Testing 5G Base Stations. - Two software packages that enhance Arnritsu's Radio Communications Test Station MT8000A to support non-signaling RF tests of 5G base stations (BTS) have been introduced. With the Base Station Test Suite for 5G New Radio (NR) millimeter wave (mmWave) MX800045A and Base Station Test Suite for NR sub-6 GHz MX800046A installed, the MT8000A is an all-in-one measurement solution that shortens test times and lowers cost-of-test during manufacturing of 5G BTS radio units (RU).

Secure wireless routers for remote sites. - A new range of industrial cellular wireless products designed to provide resilient data communications for remote sites has been launched by Westermo. The Merlin range of compact, rugged and secure cellular solutions has been specifically developed to support industrial IoT (IIoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions in demanding utility, infrastructure and transportation applications.

To cleaner lower cost Hydrogen. - Emerson has announced a multi-year strategic framework agreement with BayoTech, an innovator in hydrogen solutions, to accelerate the delivery of hydrogen around the world. Emerson will deliver advanced automation technologies, software and products to enable BayoTech to build hundreds of hydrogen units to produce cleaner, lower-cost hydrogen.

Cloud-based CNC monitoring to shop floor. - Tech Manufacturing, a supplier of machined metal parts for aerospace clients such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Bombardier, with their 5-axis CNC machines already running 24 hours a day up to 7 days a week, looked to Moxa for smarter operation and real-time machine performance data. The company's goals were to raise production capacity, reduce lead times for their clients’ largest and most urgent orders, and expand the useful service life of their existing machines.

Face to face automation highlight returns. - Even in times of COVID-19, SPS Smart Production Solutions remains one of the most important highlights in the automation industry calendar. Following a successful test exhibition in Munich, trade fairs have been permitted again in Bavaria (D) from early August 2021 and around 750 exhibitors are expected in Nuremberg from 23-25 November 2021 to present their products and solutions for smart and digital automation. This on-site will be combined with a supplementary digital offering.