Lady Liberty’s New Fire and Safety Technology

Tower Elevator Systems’ newly installed rescue elevator, part of a $27-million Statue of Liberty renovation, makes the most of Safety PLC hardware, PROFIBUS Ethernet and the SIMATIC Comfort Panel HMI. One of the most-recognized structures on earth, the Statue of Liberty, recently underwent a $27 million renovation that brought the 19th century icon into the 21st century. Fire and safety features on the statue, inaugurated by President Grover Cleveland in 1886, were revamped... Read More

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How PLCs and Smart HMI Design Keep Drugs Safe

STERIS Corp. helps keeps drugs safe and compliant with electronic data security rules with simplified PLC configuration and user-friendly interface via WinCC and touch panels. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, minimizing contamination is of maximum importance. In some drugs, even extremely minor contamination can ruin an entire production run or cause even greater problems if contaminants cause patient reactions in the field. At STERIS Corp.’s Life Sciences division, employees... Read More

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PC-based Control Improves Tire Test Control

ASM and CTI improve tire testing and optimization system in rubber capital of the world with Siemens’ integrated PC-based real-time controls, networking, drives, interfaces and more. Most people don’t think about car tires until there’s a problem, but tires are a critical contributor for both safety and comfort. Forming rubber into products that can support more than a ton and absorb shock while rolling down rough highways at high speeds is a very challenging manufacturing... Read More

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Siemens Helps SpaceX Change the Game in Outer Space

SpaceX consolidates multiple systems, moves up to Siemens Project Lifecycle Management in its effort to cut the cost of space launches by a factor of 10. Hawthorne, Calif.-based Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is a privately held company that designs, manufactures, and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space transportation, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other... Read More

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New-generation ‘Soft’ PLCs Drive Oil Exploration

Apache Corp. shares the first-hand benefits gained by moving from traditional PLC racks to the WinAC software PLC to control oil-drilling rigs worldwide. Houston, Texas-based Apache Corporation is an oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, Canada, Egypt, the United Kingdom, North Sea, Australia, and Argentina. Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down with Jim Rogers, automation advisor at Apache, to talk about the work he is doing... Read More

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PLCs help U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Deepen Critical Shipping Channels

The hopper dredge McFarland The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has a fleet of dredging boats that keeps 12,000 miles of waterways in the United States clean and navigable for recreation and commercial use. One of these boats, the hopper dredge McFarland, played a role in emergency dredging projects during the Gulf Oil spill crisis, and also participated in rescue efforts following the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attack in New York City. An antiquated relay system... Read More

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Understanding Safety Regulations and Standards

Global safety regulations vary widely.  Here are some pointers. Regulators around the globe agree on one thing: safety systems should use suitable technical equipment to keep potential hazards from both people and the environment without restricting industrial production. When accidents are minimized with minimal impact on output, productivity should rise. But that’s where the agreement ends. There are different concepts and requirements to guarantee safety in the various... Read More

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Wireless Networks and Machine Safety: Lessons Learned in a Non-Industrial Environment

Safe control of large concrete doors when elephants are in outside pen. Designing a system to control a myriad of large hydraulic gates at the Elephant Community Center at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park provides lessons learned in an application that involves hydraulics, solenoids, wireless, and safety PLCs. Making sure he doesn’t scare elephants isn’t normally in Barry Stringer’s list of challenges for the day. But when his team was designing a control system... Read More

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Critical Role of Documentation in Risk Assessments

Proper documentation helps drive success in designing, verifying and validating machine safety. There are very few people who raise their hand when asked the question “who here likes documentation?” Documentation can be seen as an impediment to progress and efficiency, not to mention innovation. But in the long run, proper documentation goes along with proper and efficient planning. When it is looked at as a record of an effective plan, it isn’t too hard to see that documentation... Read More

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Taking Simple Steps Toward Industrial Security

Learn the five key points to a well-planned security strategy. The openness of Ethernet and the availability of industrial software that runs on notebooks, tablets and even smart phones all make it easier to manage automation systems. But these tools have inherent vulnerabilities that should be acknowledged and addressed.  In the words of Ben Franklin, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” All network managers must be aware of these threats, which constantly... Read More

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