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Introduction to Functional Safety (IEC 62061) and its Implementation

Introduction to Functional Safety (IEC 62061) and its Implementation

Functional safety is the safety of a system and is critical for industries such as medical devices, automotive, railways, and machinery. This article will focus on functional safety for machinery and the standards that help its implementation.


3D Printing Cookies and Rockets

3D Printing Cookies and Rockets

Take a look at new research looking to reduce food packaging waste, speed up micro printing processes, and improve printing capabilities on large objects, including rockets, using 3D printing.


News Nov 07, 2022 by Damond Goodwin
An “Intuitive” Tightening Solution? Bosch Rexroth’s Digital Torque Wrench

An “Intuitive” Tightening Solution? Bosch Rexroth’s Digital Torque Wrench

The new OPEXplus digital torque wrench from Bosch Rexroth uses a combination of digital communication features and robust physical components to tackle a variety of industrial applications.


News Nov 06, 2022 by Gunner Scott
Plastic Waste is Filling Landfills and Oceans - Is AI the Answer?

Plastic Waste is Filling Landfills and Oceans - Is AI the Answer?

AMP Robotics is developing a first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence-based automation solution for identifying and processing film and flexible packaging in material recovery facilities.


News Nov 04, 2022 by Stephanie Leonida
Introduction to Servers for Industrial Applications

Introduction to Servers for Industrial Applications

Servers are vital to the flow of information in and around organizations, acting as a hub for information transfer and storage. Learn about the role of servers in industry and the potential challenges that come with maintaining them.


An All-in-One Solar PV Testing Solution

An All-in-One Solar PV Testing Solution

Fluke, one of the most trusted electrical testing device manufacturers, is expanding its line of PV system testers with the SMFT-1000 kit with multifunction analyzer and I-V curve tracing.


News Nov 03, 2022 by Shawn Dietrich
 Omron PLCs - A Hardware History

Omron PLCs - A Hardware History

With the first fuzzy logic-based controllers on the market in 1983, learn how the Japanese-born automation company, Omron, adopted fuzzy logic as a basis for the design of its current PLCs.


Latest SCADA-based Software for Simplified Plant Automation

Latest SCADA-based Software for Simplified Plant Automation

Emerson releases Movicon.NExT 4.2 software to simplify automation system integration across platforms, vendors, and protocols. They have enhanced the security and made the interfaces more intuitive.


News Nov 02, 2022 by Seth Price
Proportional Gain and Proportional Band Explained

Proportional Gain and Proportional Band Explained

Learn about proportional gain and proportional band, two key proportional control concepts, to better understand the most popular control system method in industrial automation.


Edge-to-Cloud Industrial Data Hub from Rockwell Automation and Cognite

Edge-to-Cloud Industrial Data Hub from Rockwell Automation and Cognite

Rockwell and Cognite have partnered to develop a more efficient method for data scaling and plant efficiency using the cloud. They also have created a new way for customers to work more efficiently via cloud–based software.


News Nov 01, 2022 by Damond Goodwin
Understanding the Differences Between Protection Relays vs Control Relays

Understanding the Differences Between Protection Relays vs Control Relays

Protection systems are critical in today’s fast-paced industrial revolution for the safety of people and processes. This article discusses electronic protective relay types and how they differ from standard relays.


Necrobots: When Even Robot Grippers Need Bad Dreams

Necrobots: When Even Robot Grippers Need Bad Dreams

Rice University scientists have created “necrobots,” a particularly creepy method where dead spiders are used to grip delicate objects.


News Oct 31, 2022 by Seth Price
Differences Between a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU)

Differences Between a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU)

Despite the many overlaps, PLCs and RTUs are two different devices, each with specific suitable applications.


MassRobotics and Lattice Semiconductor Aim to Accelerate FPGAs in Robotics

MassRobotics and Lattice Semiconductor Aim to Accelerate FPGAs in Robotics

Robotics incubator MassRobotics and FPGA-leader Lattice Semiconductor join forces to advance the development of new-age robotics applications.


News Oct 28, 2022 by Stephanie Leonida
Loop-powered (Two-wire) Transmitters for Analog Sensors

Loop-powered (Two-wire) Transmitters for Analog Sensors

In this introduction to l​​oop-powered transmitters, also known as two-wire transmitters, we discuss operation, applications, and options for signal isolation, displays, digital data transmission, and mounting.


New Six-axis Robot Speeds Deployment With No-code Programming

New Six-axis Robot Speeds Deployment With No-code Programming

Epson has expanded its line of All-in-One robots to include a six-axis robot that uses new No-Code programming software and does not require an external controller or drive cabinet.


News Oct 26, 2022 by Shawn Dietrich
Control Automation Update: New Online Calculator Tools

Control Automation Update: New Online Calculator Tools

Most engineers are not intimidated by simple mathematics, but when designing mission-critical systems, it’s important to have easy access to reliable tools and calculators. Introducing our first new set of tools designed for control engineers.


News Oct 25, 2022 by David Peterson
Fatigue Failures in Amorphous Materials

Fatigue Failures in Amorphous Materials

Fatigue failures in amorphous materials have long been a bit of a mystery in the engineering and scientific fields, but new research is removing some of the mystery and may open up new applications for amorphous materials.


Highlights from AMR and Logistics Week 2022

Highlights from AMR and Logistics Week 2022

The latest innovations in autonomous mobile robot vehicle technology were displayed at the AMR and Logistics Week 2022 show and included presentations from Boston Dynamics and Amazon Robotics, certification program expansions from InOrbit, and faster handling from OTTO Motors.


News Oct 24, 2022 by Stephanie Leonida
Control Automation Online Textbook: The Best Just Got Better!

Control Automation Online Textbook: The Best Just Got Better!

Control Automation is proud to announce updates to several chapters of our popular online textbook. Check out the improvements in the PLC, Feedback Control, and Power Generation sections.


News Oct 23, 2022 by David Peterson