Red Lion now offers N-Tron Series NT5000 Gigabit Managed Layer 2 Ethernet switches. As industries around the world digitally transform and optimize their operations, reliable and secure network access is absolutely critical. NT5000 switches and their gigabit speed are designed to improve network security and reliability for industrial organizations of all sizes and environments. The…
Wiegand energy harvester enables new IoT technologies
UBITO, a member of the FRABA family of technology companies, has announced a development of Wiegand technology as an energy source for smart sensors. After more than two years of effort at FRABA’s R&D center in Aachen (Germany), a research team has demonstrated a prototype of a wireless sensor powered by Wiegand technology that could […]
For fifth time, Emerson is named Industrial IoT Company of the Year
Technology and software company Emerson has been named the IoT Breakthrough 2023 “Industrial IoT Company of the Year” for the fifth time — an honor the company also received in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. This year’s award recognizes the power of Emerson’s industry-leading Plantweb digital ecosystem, which now includes the AspenTech suite of plant…
Physik Instrumente acquires IBS Ingenieurbüro
At the start of 2023, Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co. KG merged 53 engineers, software experts, and other specialists from the insolvent IBS Ingenieurbüro Dr. Klaus Schnürer GmbH to establish a new subsidiary within the PI Group. “PI’s engineering capacity will immediately increase by approx. 55,000 hours per year,” estimates Markus Spanner, CEO of […]
Physik Instrumente acquires IBS Ingenieurbüro
At the start of 2023, Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co. KG merged 53 engineers, software experts, and other specialists from the insolvent IBS Ingenieurbüro Dr. Klaus Schnürer GmbH to establish a new subsidiary within the PI Group. “PI’s engineering capacity will immediately increase by approx. 55,000 hours per year,” estimates Markus Spanner, CEO of […]
Industrial edge computing in the context of DX initiatives
Edge computing in industrial automation refers to systems with distributed electronics that locally collect, store, analyze, and act upon with unrivaled speed. A related industrial-network structure brings cloud-computing capabilities down into the furthest reaches of the factory-floor via nodes and networks. Called fog computing, this distributed intelligence as well as data processing out at a…
binder USA completes portfolio of crimp termination options
binder USA has developed a complete portfolio of connectors, contacts, tools, and accessories for crimp termination. binder’s crimp variants simplify wiring for quick cable assembly on site. The 423 series M16 connector offers reliable connectivity for signals, data, and electrical power with low contact resistance and gas tightness. These connectors have the tensile strength and…
Digital-transformation sustainability: Waste minimization and energy savings
Nearly two thirds of all energy created globally for commercial, transportation, industrial, and residential use is lost to inefficiency and waste. For operations aiming to achieve carbon-neutral status (or just higher profitability through energy conservation) preventing the loss of energy is at once immediately possible and commendable. After all, Energy Information Administration analysis indicates that…
The digital transformation and lean-digital approaches
The top goal of most digital transformation (DX) initiatives sounds suspiciously similar to that of lean-manufacturing methodologies — to minimize an operation’s waste and cost while concurrently maximizing its quality (defect-free) throughput of customer-coveted product. Benefitting a vast array of industries outside manufacturing, today lean-manufacturing approaches are applied in most all settings that allow collected…
Machine control and connected machines for DX initiatives
The COVID-19 pandemic permanently changed the way in which tens of thousands of businesses worldwide operate. It also changed how many view automation and digital transformation (DX) initiatives. The latter have proven helpful where businesses aim to make remote work for office personnel permanent; toggle operations from on to idled and back more nimbly; allow…
Basics of smart factories and discrete-automation connectivity
Smart factories are facilities that digitize all aspects of manufacturing or production that allow digitization. Such operations continuously record data via connected equipment and systems — and then disseminate that data to allow machines to run self-optimizing routines. Such programs might help the facility time production of a given end product; proactively prevent mechanical issues;…
Basics of the digital transformation (DX)
A digital transformation (DX or less commonly DT) is the application of software, programmable hardware, and operational technologies (OTs) to fundamentally transfigure a company’s operations and end products for the better. DX programs can be undertaken by industrial organizations, machine builders, or a vast array of other businesses; the involved OTs typically include machine-monitoring systems,…
Most-read motion-control articles of 2022
As we close out the year of 2022, the staff of Motion Control Tips would like to present our most-read articles of this year. (5th) most read: Electric actuators — an alternative to hydraulic cylinders This article details how as electric rod-style actuators have become capable of outputting forces comparable to those of high-end hydraulics, […]
New single-axis motion controller from Galil
The DMC-3x01x Motion Controller Series is Galil’s latest generation single-axis motion controller. It uses a 32-bit RISC processor to provide higher speed than older models. Like all Galil controllers, programming the DMC-3x01x is simplified with two-letter, intuitive commands and a full set of software tools for servo tuning and analysis. The DMC-3x01x Motion Controller Series feature: Available as a compact card-level or box-level unit […]
Sizing a dynamic brake resistor
Dynamic brakes in electric motor drives divert rising DC bus voltage seen during load deceleration. Here we explain how to size the resistors that process that voltage. By Lawrence Kren | Contributing writer Dynamic brakes divert rising DC bus voltage to an appropriately sized resistor where that voltage is then dissipated as heat. This process […]
Technology Tuesdays podcast: Mitsubishi Electric Automation’s Patrick Varley on how robots can ease labor shortages
In our latest Technology Tuesdays podcast, Design World’s Michelle Froese speaks with Mitsubishi Electric Automation’s product marketing manager for mechatronics and robotics, Patrick Varley. In this discussion, we delve into the topic of robotic automation and software provider solutions — and, specifically, how this combination can help ease labor shortages. Patrick explains the significance of…
New GN 9192 down-thrust clamps for compact and precise clamping
In tool and fixture manufacturing, quick workpiece changes are generally required even when space is tight. For such situations, JW Winco offers the down-thrust clamp as a compact and (above all) universal clamping element. With a clamping arm that swivels away to the side, workpieces can be fixed in the correct position quickly and securely…
Rediscovering ball splines for robust linear and rotary motion
Ball splines were once a staple for machine designers seeking an elegant way to integrate rotary and linear motion. Driven by pressures to speed their machines to market, many designers found it faster to implement prepackaged solutions in which rotary and linear motion shafts had already been integrated. By Charles Isaac • Thomson Industries Chris […]
Pertinent operating conditions for ac gearmotors and motors
Nameplate values stipulate the limits at which a motor or gearmotor can safely operate. To operate the motor either over or under the nameplate rated limit can degrade motor performance and safety. Let’s now review some of these restrictions and the consequences of ignoring them. Tim Oliver, V.P. of Engineering • Bodine Electric Co. Operating […]
Railway relies on advanced backstopping clutch technology
The famous Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire has been transporting visitors to the highest peak in the Northeastern US since 1869. At the summit, 6,288 ft above sea level, the mountain experiences some of the most extreme weather conditions in the world with wind chill temperatures down to -102°F. A directly measured surface […]
Renishaw’s Advanced Manufacturing Roadshow makes November stop in Michigan
Renishaw’s Roadshow rolls into Auburn Hills, Michigan next month with the aim of delivering solutions to advanced manufacturing challenges faced by the automotive, aerospace, medical and electronics industries, as well as precision manufacturers and scientific and research analysis operations. The two-day event features morning and afternoon presentations with metrology experts answering questions on the significant […]
Bronze, Silver, and Gold 2022 LEAP winners in motion control announced
The fifth annual LEAP Awards — celebrating leading engineering achievements in product design — was the largest yet. 2022 LEAP categories were divided across the four WTWH Media brands of Design World, Fluid Power World, Fastener Engineering, and EE World. The 14 categories include Additive Manufacturing • Advanced Materials • Connectivity • Embedded Computing • […]
Copia Automation’s DeviceLink simplifies backup and change detection for industrial automation devices
Industrial automation software developer Copia Automation announced the release of its newest product DeviceLink , delivering automated backup and change detection for industrial control devices. DeviceLink extends the value of Copia’s source control platform. Cloud-hosted and Git-based, Copia empowers controls engineers to unlock the advantages of DevOps workflows in driving greater team efficiency, code quality, […]
Top 12 design considerations for power-off brakes
The proliferation of new applications for power-off brakes demands fresh design approaches leveraging leading brake manufacturers’ accumulated design experience. Key to optimizing designs for life, cost, and performance is early collaboration with the brake manufacturer. By Brian Mather • Ogura Industrial Corp. Machine designers in the motion-control industry recognize power-off brakes by the following terms: […]
Linear and rotary motion components satisfy aerospace requirements
Linear guides, cam followers, and crossed-roller bearings can satisfy the demanding requirements for space-flight hardware. By IKO engineering staff | www.ikont.com As space activity shifts from governmental agencies to a growing industry driven by commercial entities and even startups, the types of spacecrafts and the missions they support are also expanding. This diversifying industry is […]