System Integrators
The Siemens mobile Smart Access wireless module with built-in webserver for products is just the tool end-customers have been needing to easily connect, monitor, commission, and restore operation to equipment. Siemens Sinamics G120 Smart Access Wireless Module won the 2019 Engineers’ Choice Grand Award, in the Motion control - Drives category. Courtesy: Siemens Industry
System Integrators February 18, 2019

Automation needs to be easy to use

Automation advice: Devices and systems should provide a positive customer experience and be easily connect, monitor, commission, and operate. Use the smartphone benchmark.

By Craig Nelson
Figure 1: Cyber threats are proliferating due to increased information technology/operations technology (IT/OT) integration, along with the advent of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and open process automation (OPA) initiatives. Courtesy: Yokogawa Electric Corp.
System Integrators February 18, 2019

Top 5 Control Engineering articles February 11-17

Articles about plant cybersecurity management, the 2019 Engineers' Choice awards, control systems, future plant design, and the System Integration Giants were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from February 11-17. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra
Companies with a cross-disciplined approach to design and production in controls and automation can qualify for the R&D tax credit, which brings in an estimated $10 billion annually for U.S. businesses, provided that the companies can take advantage of the break. Courtesy: Alliantgroup
System Integrators February 11, 2019

How the R&D tax credit can benefit control system and process engineers

The research and development tax credit can help control systems and process engineers offset the mounting costs from product and service enhancements.

By Tracy Lustyan
Figure 4: Different EtherCAT I/O modules provide a variety of system-integrated diagnostics, filters, scaling features and form factors. Courtesy: Beckhoff Automation
System Integrators February 7, 2019

Maximize production efficiency with high-end power measurement

Machine-friendly input/output (I/O) hardware for high-end measurement technology continues to grow, optimizing power monitoring while eliminating harmonic distortion.

By Sree Potluri
Courtesy: CFE Media
System Integrators February 6, 2019

Reduce risk of non-payment from new automation customers

Legalities: A letter of credit can help guarantee payment or performance by a customer or integrator that has not yet established a credit history with the other party to the arrangement—especially if offices of the two parties are far apart.

By Brian Clifford
Figure 3: The IIC’s Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework (IICF) is the industry’s most comprehensive analysis of connectivity technologies. It includes detailed assessments for the most common IIoT technologies, including OPC UA and DDS. It also proposes an architecture for using them together. Courtesy: Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC)
System Integrators January 28, 2019

Top 5 Control Engineering articles January 21-27

Articles about the future of IIoT software, primary and secondary flow measurement, industrial controller selection, hot Control Engineering topics for 2018, and MQTT's role as an IoT message transport were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from January 21-27. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra
The coupling repair process began with submerged-arc welding. Courtesy: Sulzer
System Integrators January 26, 2019

Fast repair needed for a power plant steam turbine

The repair of a steam turbine, which had a cracked rotor, required some innovative and quick thinking to ensure a quick repair time for a power plant in the Philippines.

By Claudia Proeger
Figure 1: According to a survey by the Eclipse Foundation, messaging queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) is the most-used messaging protocol for an IoT solution. Courtesy: Eclipse Foundation Inc.
System Integrators January 7, 2019

MQTT’s role as an IoT message transport

Messaging queuing telemetry transport’s (MQTT) role as an Internet of Things (IoT) message transport derives from its simple design, when it began as an industrial communicator for a pipeline supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system.

By Arlen Nipper
A sports utility vehicle received a lift by a Fanuc robot in an IMTS 2018 automotive application demonstration at the Fanuc booth. The lifting robot is integrated with motion of the Otto Motors mobile robot that serves as a mobile base for a second Fanuc robot. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, CFE Media
System Integrators January 4, 2019

System integration in the automotive industries

Automotive industries are addressing competitive challenges with automation-related upgrades. A review of some technologies being integrated and why follow.

By Mark T. Hoske
Power Partners’ PDAM120 Series of 120W ac/dc power supplies are designed for use in either medical or information technology equipment (ITE) applications. Courtesy: Power Partners
System Integrators January 3, 2019

Medical and ITE power supply

Power Partners’ PDAM120 Series of 120W ac/dc power supplies are designed for use in either medical or information technology equipment (ITE) applications.

By Power Partners, Inc.