New Modules Connect Optical and Electrical PROFIBUS Networks

Siemens Industry has released two new optical link modules specifically designed for PROFIBUS networks. The new modules, the OLM P22 which is designed for use with plastic fiber optic cables (FOC) and the OLM G22 which is compatible with glass FOCs, make it possible for users to employ more redundant and reliable network topologies, such as rings and stars, that ensure higher network availability, says Paul Ruland, Siemens marketing manager. “They also offer enhanced diagnostics... Read More

Critical Questions to Ask when Specifying Automation Systems

Setting out to buy a new automation system can be a daunting task. Not only are you talking about what can be a significant capital investment, but more importantly you are talking about a system that will provide the backbone of your production capability for a decade or more. Getting it wrong can have major consequences on your company’s profitability and success. “Looking at it purely from a control systems perspective, almost any system you buy is going to be able to do... Read More

Failsafe, Wireless Operator Control and Monitoring via “Rapid Roaming”

Siemens Industry has provided plant floor engineers with added reliability and flexibility with two new mobile panels, the 277 IWLAN and its safety-rated version, the 277F IWLAN. “The latest additions to our line of portable devices for wireless operator control and monitoring communicate through what we call our ‘rapid roaming process,’” says Alan Cone, Siemens Industry’s HMI marketing manager. Rapid Roaming is based on the extended WLAN iPCF-MC (Industrial Point Coordination... Read More

Simatic S7-1200 Firmware Update Expands Communications Capabilities

Siemens Industry has dramatically expanded the communications capabilities available on its Simatic S7-1200 controllers with new PROFINET, PROFIBUS and telecommunications service giving end users more flexibility with their control system architectures and driving more efficiency into manufacturing processes through greater integration. Says Brian Shebs, Siemens product marketing manager, new CPU firmware enables communication with PROFINET IO devices while two new communication... Read More

Latest Safety Trend: Integrating Safety with Motion Control

While injuries due to industrial accidents have been dramatically reduced over the past decade – largely the result of rising awareness and investment in safety-instrumented automation – serious accidents still occur every day. Getting safety right is both a priority and an ongoing process. But safety systems have always been an additional and separate endeavor from basic control, adding cost and complexity to any application. The latest evolution in safety systems involves... Read More

Transitioning from Fieldbus to Ethernet: Benefits and Requirements for the Plant Floor

Ethernet long ago became the de facto network standard for enterprise office networks on the strength of its performance, wide availability, openness and cost-effectiveness. For many of the same reasons, Ethernet has been finding its way to factory floor networks, a fact that may give pause to plant engineers who have long relied on fieldbus technology to foster communications among their various machines and devices. While any kind of change can be cause for concern, the transition... Read More

Extreme Manufacturing Makeover: Motor Plant Upgrades Without Halting Production

Benefits of $35 million project include a 90% energy reduction, reduced inventory, streamlined operation, and direct HMI control. Redesigned workflow was key to upgrading without stopping production. Retrofits can keep a manufacturing plant up to date regardless of its age. A recent four-year makeover converted a manufacturing plant that opened in 1897 into a state-of-the-art facility. A $35 million expansion project was the latest of many for a vintage manufacturing facility... Read More

Case Study: Circuit Board Maker Upgrades Five Machine Controls Over a Holiday Weekend

Gorilla Circuits outgrows 13-year-old “black box” controllers, installs state-of-the-art controllers that it can support in-house. Integrator re-writes software vs. translating code line by line. As Gorilla Circuits Inc. built its printed circuit board fabrication business over the past four decades, it acquired production equipment from a number of suppliers. When control systems purchased in 1998 started to suffer from reliability and lack of support, the company decided... Read More

New SIPLUS Extreme Controls Block Dust, Moisture Out

Siemens Industry Automation Division has considerably expanded the range of applications of its ruggedized SIPLUS extreme control and communication products. The devices are now also certified for use in toxic atmospheres according to ISA-S71.04 GX, which addresses airborne contaminants. The new parts are now certified for offshore deployment in environments with salt mist and for environments with high mechanical active substances in dust atmospheres often referred to as “Arizona... Read More

Boosting Food Safety Through a Strategic Plan Leveraging Automation

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), RFID and 2D bar codes can work with plant floor control systems for hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP). The impact of food and drink recalls in the U.S. is huge, both for those who ingest contaminated products and for the companies that make them. The number of food and beverage recalls more than doubled from 2006 to 2008, soaring from 240 to 565. The impact of these recalls is enormous. Millions of Americans get sick from contaminated... Read More