Manufacturing IT, MES

While traditional maintenance teams completed manual routes, organizations that capitalize on modern technologies can stream asset data to the cloud. By eliminating manual measurements, personnel can attend to needed repairs and the ever-expanding backlog of work orders. Courtesy: Fluke Corp.
Manufacturing IT, MES September 4, 2019

Evolution of modern manufacturing: more data

Automation future: The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 are widely known concepts, have not been widely adopted. On the way, physical device data connectivity can increase information flow to add efficiency, eliminate errors and increase uptime

By John Bernet
Figure 3: Three eXtended Reality (XR) technologies, such as augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR), and digital twin models can add value to manufacturer applications. Courtesy: Industrial Internet Consortium
Manufacturing IT, MES September 1, 2019

Control Engineering hot topics, August 2019

Control Engineering's most clicked articles in August 2019 included stories about managing an engineering career, digitizing reality, evaluating controller options, intelligent decisions with the cloud, and more. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra
To test how well the algorithm might work in a warehouse, the researchers had a robot (white arm) monitor participants performing activities in a warehouse-like setting. Within three seconds of the end of each activity, the robot showed a score on its display (right). Courtesy: Parsa et al./IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters/University of Washington
Manufacturing IT, MES August 23, 2019

Machine learning used to determine warehouse ergonomics for worker safety

Researchers at the University of Washington used machine learning to develop a system that monitors factory and warehouse workers and tell them, in real time, how risky their behaviors are.

By Sarah McQuate
There are many AI solutions suited for use in industrial automation. These include open source software and applications based on machine learning (ML). Courtesy: Omron Automation/Control Engineering Europe
Manufacturing IT, MES August 21, 2019

Five steps to implement AI on the factory floor

Companies should be looking to benefit from the potential of technologies such as artificial intelligence and edge computing for business success and competitive advantage.

By Tim Foreman
Figure 3: Three eXtended Reality (XR) technologies, such as augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR), and digital twin models can add value to manufacturer applications. Courtesy: Industrial Internet Consortium
Manufacturing IT, MES August 19, 2019

Top 5 Control Engineering articles August 12-18

Articles about digitizing reality, using the cloud for business, long battery life, making the IIoT work, and IIoT's effects on the motor business were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from August 12-18. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra
Manufacturing IT, MES August 17, 2019

Continuous asset optimization in manufacturing

Continuous asset optimization (CAO) combines smart manufacturing technologies with cutting edge statistical, data-driven and physics of failure modeling techniques.

By Dr. Ananth Seshan
Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering content manager, tries Google Glass at Gail Borden Public Library. Courtesy: CFE Media
Manufacturing IT, MES August 14, 2019

Augmented reality expected to address manufacturing skills deficit

Manufacturers share knowledge where and when needed via augmented reality (AR). See eight leading AR applications, according to IHS Markit.

By Alex West
A new Emerson solutions center in China brings a new digital factory experience to local users by introducing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology to help process manufacturing enterprises in China effectively realize digital transformation. Courtesy: Control Engineering China
Manufacturing IT, MES August 10, 2019

Virtual reality’s benefits for machine maintenance in processing applications

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) can help maintenance engineers in process industries such as the food industry repair industry and reduce potential downtime.

By George Walker
Figure 1: In OOIP, the control design is built from objects that match those in the physical plant or equipment design. Courtesy: Coherent Technologies Inc.
Manufacturing IT, MES August 4, 2019

Leveraging OOIP, Part 2: Abstraction, nesting and interfaces

Part 2: Plants and equipment are assembled from objects, and controls architecture should be too. Industrial programmers can realize the productivity of object-oriented programming (OOP) without the complexity by using object-oriented industrial programming (OOIP). See nine ways to determine if a development system supports OOIP.

By Gary L. Pratt, P.E.
Tulip's manufacturing apps can provide workers with instructions, data, and a way to communicate with managers. Courtesy: Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Tulip
Manufacturing IT, MES August 2, 2019

Software developed to empower workers on the factory floor

Tulip, an MIT spinout company, has developed a customizable manufacturing app platform that connects people, machines and sensors to optimize processes on a shop floor.

By Zach Winn