Every manufacturer and user active in the area of process engineering is familiar with the HART protocol but experience has shown that the procedure is commonly known but rarely used. [ + ]

An automation system from Omron helps move props for South Pacific. [ + ]

Formula SAE is a design competition that is organised for university students by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The competition sees teams of engineering students from universities all over the world design, build, test and drive a Formula-style race car. It is a true test of a broad spectrum of engineering creativity and expertise. [ + ]

ZF Sachs, with 16,500 employees, has been a renowned partner in the automotive industry for more than 100 years. The traditional office network security solution, using VLANs, was rejected by ZF Sachs as being unsuitable in the harsh environment of the plant floor. [ + ]

It often seems that the cards are stacked against Australian manufacturers and the industry in general. If we’re not facing a global financial crisis, it’s a high Aussie dollar and expected increases in energy prices. [ + ]

Using electronic work instructions to improve changeover processes paves the way for manufacturers to recover valuable production time, accelerate margin and control product quality. [ + ]

The photovoltaics industry is booming and the market for solar farms is growing quickly all over the world. Yet the task of planning PV power plants to make them as efficient as possible is far from trivial. Fraunhofer researchers, working with Siemens Energy Photovoltaics, have developed software that simplifies conceptual design. [ + ]

All control system projects include the same basic components: scope definition, hardware build, software implementation, test, commission. But system migration projects have a very different risk profile to greenfield projects, which means the project management of the two types is quite different. [ + ]

Selecting a Dematic robotic layer picking system proved to be a wise choice for Nestlé Australia. It received three logistics awards for its Arndell Park national distribution centre (DC), which uses a Dematic system. [ + ]

An upgraded conveyor system has helped Australia’s largest cold-chain logistics service provider stay on top of its game. [ + ]

In today's complex industrial landscape, maximising productivity is paramount for companies to remain competitive. Implementing an effective safety solution is an important step towards improving productivity in the industrial environment. [ + ]

Users of inductive proximity sensors can select from a vast array of standard types to solve almost any general-purpose sensing application. Unfortunately not all industrial sensing applications fall into the general-purpose category. [ + ]

Harcros Chemicals has been using manual valves for sampling, directing, injection and extraction processes at its Kansas City plant. Installing wireless valve monitoring has increased safety in hazardous areas and reduced the risk of fugitive emissions. [ + ]

As we saw in Part 1, the IEC 61131 standard has had a profound effect on the industrial controllers market, particularly in the area of programming. In this part, we’ll look at how an additional standard promoted by PLCOpen relating to motion control has dovetailed into IEC 61131-3 and enhanced the overall usefulness of industrial controllers. [ + ]

Companies are looking to engineering schools to produce engineering graduates with stronger modelling and analytical skills, not simply an ability to prototype. And, of course, those newly hired engineers must also have a strong foundation in engineering concepts and mathematics. [ + ]