Fitting Energy Management Strategies into Sustainable Practices

How to monitor and analyze energy costs in an industrial automation application. Includes strategies for uncovering and avoiding costly spikes that exceed utilities’ maximum allowable demand. According to Nobel-winning writer (and co-founder of the London School of Economics) George Bernard Shaw, the only man he knew who behaved sensibly was his tailor. “He takes my measurements each time he sees me,” he said. “The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to... Read More

Three New Products for Remote Access by Mobile Radio

Siemens Industry continues to expand its TeleService and Telecontrol product portfolio with the addition of three products for remote access by mobile radio: the CP 1242-7 communications processor module, Telecontrol Server Basic Control call center software, and the IE Basic TeleService Adapter. The CP 1242-7 communications processor module adds a GSM/GPRS interface to the Siemens S7-1200 controller.  “This new module enables plant operators to cost effectively diagnose, maintain,... Read More

The Next Generation of Simatic HMI Key Panels

Siemens has introduced a new generation of Simatic HMI key panels: the KP8 and KP8F. Both provide an affordable, high-performance, compact keypad operator panel for Profinet environments. The KP8 and KP8F feature eight large ergonomic keys, clearly illuminated via LED in up to five colors. For larger control panels, additional units may be added without gaps, electrically connected through integrated Ethernet switches and looped through a 24DC circuit. The KP8F is a failsafe version... Read More

New Robotic Technology Aims to Prevent Dangerous Arc Flash Incidents

Many arc flash incidents are related to racking circuit breakers, chiefly in the power industry. A new robotic device allows a worker to rack circuit breakers from a safe distance of over 75 feet away. An arc flash is an electrical explosion that results from a low impedance connection to ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system. In other words, an arc flash is an electrical breakdown of the resistance of air resulting in an electric arc. This can occur when there... Read More

Aerospace Lab Engineers a New Type of Precision Crane Control Material Handling

Eliminating the sway of huge payloads through state-of-the-art controls technology is one outcome of a research lab driven by a unique industry/university partnership. Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), is one of the foremost multidisciplinary research centers focusing on next generation manufacturing technologies: the Manufacturing Research Center (MARC). For nearly a decade, Siemens, through... Read More