Industrial Technology

Reduce costs, improve productivity and drive up efficiency

With machine builders looking to help their end user customers reduce production costs, improve productivity, achieve their maximum production potential and drive down maintenance requirements, the role of communications between sensors and actuators and the machine control system has come to the fore.

16th March 2022

Ewellix launches intelligent SmartX platform for linear motion

Linear motion specialist Ewellix has launched an intelligent digital platform, which will underpin a new and advanced generation of linear motion solutions. Called SmartX, the new digital platform has been designed to help engineers develop motion, robotic and automation systems that offer far greater levels of intelligence, connectivity and adaptability than are achievable from existing equipment.

15th March 2022

Simplified process monitoring for injection moulding machines

Wireless switches and sensors from Steute provide safe, reliable and cable-free signal transmission in a wide range of applications. One interesting area for this solution is plastic injection moulding, especially multi-component processes which often involve machines with rotary plates. These plates enable the main part of the construction element to be moulded first and then – after rotating the plate by 90 or 180° – injection of the second part. This prevents distortion and accelerates the production process.

15th March 2022

Optimising water treatment process control

From adding oxygen to the wort in a brewery, to introducing the chemical array in a clean in place (CIP) process, optimising dosing accuracy and repeatability is vital. To achieve these aims, a mass flow meter and control valve combination will increase process quality and efficiency. However, it’s also important to ensure optimal integration and specification within the process infrastructure to achieve the best performance and control across a water treatment application.

15th March 2022

Wireless roaming feature brings more range for wireless operation

To enable system operators to move even more freely along the production line, Sigmatek has developed the ‘Wireless Roaming Feature’ for wireless HMIs. The TÜV-certified, wireless operating solution with Safety-to-go consists of three main components: a wireless panel from the HGW 1033 series with Safety elements (SIL 3/PL e), the base station BWH 001 as the access point and charging station and an S-DIAS Safety control.

15th March 2022

Redundant PLCnext Control devices for maximum availability

With its redundancy function, the high-performance RFC 4072R PLCnext Control device from Phoenix Contact is said to be ideal for use in high-availability applications. This PLC is a part of the PLCnext Technology ecosystem, currently the most open automation platform on the market.

15th March 2022

Cable carriers in compact sizes for smaller installation spaces

Kabelschelpp Metool has added two new cable carriers to its product ranges with compact sizes for small installation spaces – the UNIFLEX Advanced 1250 and the QuickTrax/EasyTrax 0250.

14th March 2022

Server-class performance with PCIe Gen4 and 100 Gbit network connectivity

Kontron is launching its first COM-HPC Server Module COMh-sdID featuring Intel’s Xeon D-2700 processors (former codename Ice Lake D). In addition, Kontron also introduces a COM-HPC Server Evaluation Carrier. The COMh-sdID with scalability from 4 to 20 cores and SKUs for an extended temperature range and 24x7/10 years reliability allows very robust implementations for harsh environments and extreme conditions in a small mechanical footprint.

14th March 2022

More performance for the S-DIAS safety system

Programmable, flexible safety is a key component of intelligent machine design. With S-DIAS Safety, Sigmatek says it is providing the user with a slim, economic solution that meets the highest safety standards (SIL 3, PL e). And the company says its SCP 211 Safety CPU now provides even more performance. It has four times the processing speed of its sibling, the SCP 111, as well as more memory for user programs (1 MB Flash, 500 kB SRAM) and remnant memory for parameter lists and variables.

14th March 2022

Futureproofing your operations with cobots is easier than you think

Automated shop floors where cobots work alongside operators are no longer the future, but rather the present. Whether they are used in manufacturing packaging, warehousing, maintenance or training – collaborative solutions are already changing the way we operate and, ultimately, the industrial world we know. Easy to program and install, they are also ideal for entry-level automation applications.

14th March 2022