Honing in on New Money

Sunnen uses Motion Control to design a low-cost honing system. Designing new product lines in the complex industrial automation world is a complex challenge, one that’s increasingly being done under tight time pressures. When Sunnen began developing a basic, large-bore horizontal honing system, it got to market on time with the right end pricing by reaching out to suppliers. The new bore sizing and finishing line, dubbed the HTA, is now helping the 85-year-old OEM gain market... Read More

RFID Improves Processes and Profitability

Product identification has evolved rapidly over the last decade as advanced techniques let companies get more data using systems that are easier to install. Radio Frequency Identification is seeing a rapid takeoff, employing readers that can monitor products that aren’t directly in their line of sight. RFID provides a number of benefits that can make it more viable than bar codes and other printed technologies. It eliminates the line of sight viewing that’s needed for printed... Read More

Finding Harmony on the Factory Floor

PROFINET, PROFIBUS team up to link entire enterprise. Over the past several years, Ethernet has made an impressive footprint on the plant floor, becoming the de facto standard for most new installations and expansions. But fieldbuses like PROFIBUS show no signs of fading away soon, making it important to understand how they work together.CLICK TO ENLARGEEthernet has been beefed up by many companies and trade groups so it can work in harsh industrial environments without sacrificing... Read More

Tips on Choosing an Automation Architecture

Distributed control systems, programmable logic controllers meet varying demands. The advancing power of microcontrollers makes it much easier to do many tasks, but sometimes these advances make life more difficult. It’s becoming more difficult to decide whether to adopt distributed control systems or programmable logic controllers. As equipment designers leverage the soaring capabilities of microprocessors, the strengths and weaknesses between a DCS and a PLC have become blurred.... Read More

Orange County Choppers’ First Electric Bike

Siemens and Orange County Choppers teamed up to build the first custom electric motorcycle. The “Siemens Smart Chopper” features recycled materials, LED lighting, battery-powered motor, 100 MPH maximum speed, 60-mile range, and on-board charger that can be plugged into any 110-volt outlet. The bike will be featured on TLC’s American Chopper television show on November 5, 2009.Have an Inquiry for Siemens about this article? Click Here >>    Read More →

Motor Starter Features Weld Free Design

All in one unit simplifies installation. The Sirius motor starter line is advancing along two tracks, reducing system downtime while also making project planning more straightforward. The Sirius 3RA6 Compact Starter simplifies the selection process by offering only five broad current setting ranges up to 32 Amp as well as only three supply voltage ranges. Installation is further simplified due to four different mounting options including an infeed system that allows bussing of... Read More

6 Critical Things to Know Before Implementing Wireless on the Plant Floor

While the automation command “startup” may not be as historically significant as the dots and dashes of the Morse code “SOS” distress call, it is no less important to the day to day operation of the factory machine that won’t go unless it gets the instruction to begin operation. According to industry analysts, those instructions are being transmitted more often via wireless networks than ever before. In 2007, industrial customers bought some 2.7 million wireless enabled... Read More

Automation Services Reduce Downtime for Manufacturers

According to figures from ARC Advisory Group plant downtime costs come it at about $12,500 per hour. That’s an average of course, downtime at some plants will be cheaper while others – especially continuous process operations like refineries – are much, much more costly. “Downtime is a big concern because the cost associated with it is so high,” says Larry O’Brien, a research director with ARC who specializes in process automation solutions, adding that a single incident... Read More

Partnering Aids Push into Global Markets

Globalization was well underway before the Internet began transforming the way international business is conducted. Now that companies can find and contact international suppliers using the Web in seconds, responding to intercontinental requests has become a critical part of a successful business strategy. Barriers of all sorts have tumbled as Internet access made it easier to find information. In minutes, equipment designers and users can find far more specifications and pricing... Read More

New Equipment Regulations Loom

One thing that’s certain about regulations: they’re bound to change. Europe is making significant alterations to one of the primary ruling documents for production equipment, adding requirement that should improve safety while putting more focus on risk assessment. The European Union’s Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC) goes into effect Dec. 29, replacing the longstanding Machinery Directive (98/37/EC). “This is a major rewrite, the last one that was this broad was more... Read More