The ODVA EtherNet/IP network standard is gaining popularity as an industrial protocol, and wireless ethernet technologies have emerged that can now reliably reduce network costs while improving plant production.

Foodstuffs must be packaged precisely, safely and, above all, carefully. That final factor alone presents a particular challenge for packaging line manufacturers, whose machines need to meet increased standards when packaging delicate foodstuffs.

A compressed air auditing program developed by the Electricity Commission is set to play a significant part in achieving targeted energy savings of $2 billion a year for the New Zealand manufacturing sector within five to 10 years.

This article explores the challenges of developing telemetric SCADA systems and covers the seven most important features to look for in selecting a GPRS solution.

Along with the laws of physics, engineers have to be aware of the law of unintended consequences. Take, for example, something as simple as the 24 VDC power supplies that feed the control circuits in automation systems as a case in point.

Four high-definition precision plasma cutters used to help build new aircraft carriers for the British Navy use the latest in four-axis motion control.

Fieldbus transmitters must also be calibrated just like conventional instruments, and there are also industrial environments where the calibration of fieldbus instruments should not only be made accurately and efficiently, but also safely.

Operators of multiple compressors can achieve significant energy savings thanks to the Ingersoll Rand X-Series System.

While EtherNet/IP has many advantages, cable installation is often expensive, and communications to remote sites or moving platforms may not be reliable or cost effective. Wireless ethernet technologies have emerged that can now reliably reduce network costs while improving plant production.

A huge new machine called Oyster - designed to harness the power of ocean waves and turn it into green electricity - has been installed on the seabed off the Atlantic shores of the Orkney Isles north of Scotland. In contrast to many other wave power devices, it uses hydraulic technology to transfer wave power to shore, where it is converted into electricity.

Embedded control system designers are being pushed to provide better performance and more features, all while meeting tight deadlines and keeping costs down. As these demands grow, traditional design and verification methodologies are falling short.

While ethernet networking has been making inroads into the manufacturing plant, the need for a high-availability network architecture is far greater than in its traditional use as an IT network.

Precision and reliability are key concerns when selecting pressure transmitters. Using pressure measuring devices that utilise a ceramic measuring cell rather than an oil-filled pressure membrane is one way instrument engineers can increase accuracy, reliability and long-term stability.

Integrators frequently use OPC technology to connect one industrial automation or process control system with another so that data can be shared between the two systems. Because OPC technology is based on a client-server architecture, the challenge is that two OPC servers cannot communicate with each other directly.

The current increasing pressure on industry to clean up environmental performance is regarded by many as a direct conflict with one of industry’s primary goals - management of operational costs in order to increase profitability.