Using IEC 61131-3 programming languages for simulation
See five paybacks of simulation. Use IEC 61131-3 programming languages and modern programming tools to easily integrate simulation to development workflow.
VFD: Swap it or upgrade?
There’s a lot to know behind the process of replacing a drive.
Think safety when adding automated processes
Machine safety: Physical barriers are often the best choice after a risk assessment is performed in places where machines and workers co-exist.
Taking control of controls
Ford’s 10-year operational evolution started with network standards.
Data-compression technique developed for faster computer programs
A technique developed by MIT researchers frees up more memory used by computers and mobile devices, allowing them to run faster and perform more tasks simultaneously.
Research team looking to secure blockchain from cyber attacks
A research team from Northern Arizona University is looking to secure blockchain with an architecture that is compatible with cloud-based solutions.
Professional service robot benefits for manufacturers
Professional service robots feature some degree of autonomy and mobility for unstructured environments and offer many potential benefits for end users.
Optics and lighting design crucial for machine vision applications
Sensor selection is dependent on the application and so is the lighting, which makes optics just as important. However, optics suppliers do struggle to keep pace with the machine vision industry's rapid evolution.
Benefits of collaborative robots for CNC machine tending applications
Collaborative robots are useful for CNC machine tending applications because they can be deployed quickly and can improve productivity on the plant floor.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles April 8-14
Articles about evaluating a system integrator, the Engineers' Choice Awards, IIoT and machine control, questions to ask an SI, and rate-predictive control were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from April 8-14. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Four embedded vision trends enabling adoption
Embedded vision systems are being leveraged in industrial manufacturing and trends such as ease of use, lower costs, and smaller chips are helping their widespread adoption.
Three data types companies need to prioritize
Not all data is equal and some require greater attention and priority than others. Industrial companies managing networks need to focus on information-based, mission critical and real-time data.