Latest Utilities Articles

Categories

Companies and Institutions Push Educational Initiatives Forward to Close Skills Gap in Industrial Automation

Companies and Institutions Push Educational Initiatives Forward to Close Skills Gap in Industrial Automation

From helping high school students in STEM to opening a new cobot center in a university, companies and universities continue to close the skills gap and up-train the next generation of engineers.


News Oct 21, 2021 by Damond Goodwin
CISA Issues Cyber Threat Warnings for Water and Wastewater Plants and Systems

CISA Issues Cyber Threat Warnings for Water and Wastewater Plants and Systems

The U.S. Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA) has recently published new advisory warning companies of ransomware attacks targeting water and wastewater facilities (WWS).


Introduction to Micro PLCs

Introduction to Micro PLCs

Micro PLCs are quite similar to their larger PLC brethren. What are the major differences, advantages, and disadvantages of micro PLCs?


Genetic Algorithm Examples: Evolving a Sorting Program and Symbolic Regression

Genetic Algorithm Examples: Evolving a Sorting Program and Symbolic Regression

Learn about symbolic regression in genetic programming, one of the breaking fields of research for algorithm development that can be used in the control systems of tomorrow.


Assessing Buzzwords: Industry 5.0

Assessing Buzzwords: Industry 5.0

American history has undergone several industrial revolutions largely focused on mass production. Are we heading into a fifth revolution focused on human-machine interaction?


Error Clusters in LabVIEW

Error Clusters in LabVIEW

Simple errors may corrupt data files, crash LabVIEW, or crash the entire computer system. Implementing error clusters will help prevent these issues. Learn how to set up error clusters for your VI.


Five Common Breaking Points of Industrial-grade Machinery and How to Combat Them

Five Common Breaking Points of Industrial-grade Machinery and How to Combat Them

Broken industrial machinery can cause unexpected downtime, production loss, and even injury. Let's look at some of the most common issues and how to properly address them.


Assessing Buzzwords: X “as a Service” (XaaS)

Assessing Buzzwords: X “as a Service” (XaaS)

XaaS, or the service model, has grown in the last several years. Pop-up terms like “SaaS,” “IaaS,” and “RaaS” are seen throughout the industry. But what do they mean, and do they provide dependable ROI?


ROEQ Boosts AMR Payloads and Lifting Capabilities

ROEQ Boosts AMR Payloads and Lifting Capabilities

The current labor shortage, along with tedious, repetitive tasks make it difficult to find warehousing employees. ROEQ and MiR aim to help by increasing robotic payload and lifting capacities.


News Oct 08, 2021 by Aline Dias
Assessing Buzzwords: Digital Transformation

Assessing Buzzwords: Digital Transformation

What does “digital transformation” really mean, and what are the technologies involved in the process? Further, which of these technologies are facilities adopting?


An Introduction to Genetic Programming: A System That Programs Itself?

An Introduction to Genetic Programming: A System That Programs Itself?

Can a system author itself? Genetic programming may represent the next revolution for control systems, robot navigation, pattern recognition, and more.


Upcoming Automation Shows and Events in October

Upcoming Automation Shows and Events in October

What automation events are taking place this month?


Data Flow Programming in LabVIEW

Data Flow Programming in LabVIEW

One of the most confusing concepts for new LabVIEW programmers is the concept of data flow programming. Data flow programming determines the run order of nodes, making some data available before others.


How to Design a Fuzzy Logic Controller

How to Design a Fuzzy Logic Controller

Let’s review how fuzzy logic and ladder logic work together, how to design a fuzzy logic controller, and some advantages and disadvantages of using fuzzy logic.


Wood PLC Debuts AI-based Machine Vision Solution for Offshore Drilling Applications

Wood PLC Debuts AI-based Machine Vision Solution for Offshore Drilling Applications

Wood PLC announces its new Augmented Machine Vision Solution for inspecting equipment comprising subsea oil and gas infrastructure, as well as other fields.


News Sep 28, 2021 by Stephanie Leonida
CUI Devices’ New Line of Push Button Switches Target Space-constrained Applications

CUI Devices’ New Line of Push Button Switches Target Space-constrained Applications

CUI Devices announced its new pushbutton product line targeted for electronics and control applications. Let’s dive into the specifics of the new product family.


News Sep 25, 2021 by Robin Mitchell
Industrial Automation Companies Develop New Tools to Utilize LiDAR Capabilities

Industrial Automation Companies Develop New Tools to Utilize LiDAR Capabilities

Several companies have begun working together to leverage the latest LiDAR technology to solve very different problems.


News Sep 24, 2021 by Sara McCaslin
Banner Engineering is Bringing Analog Signal and Serial Automation Products to Market

Banner Engineering is Bringing Analog Signal and Serial Automation Products to Market

Industry 4.0 continues to push technological advancements in automation. However, many companies still use legacy components, so Banner released products to help analog and serial devices.


News Sep 23, 2021 by Shawn Dietrich
Data Science for Control Systems

Data Science for Control Systems

Data science is a multidisciplinary field crucial to modern automation. In this article, learn about data science concepts and best practices.


Data Types Used in LabVIEW

Data Types Used in LabVIEW

LabVIEW uses different data types to store and convey information. Let’s review the most common types and how they are used in the program.