Discrete Sensor Insights Sensors play a vital role with implementing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions and act as the eyes, ears and fingers of the robots. When trying to simplify robot startups, sensor-level networks are imperative and there are several network types that can help with this process. Sensors in robots have evolved a […]
Automation Insights The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way habits of consumers including influencing people to dine-in at home more often. An increase in demand for products form food manufacturers has led them to automating their packaging process in an effort to increase efficiency. The initial costs and ROI of this process vary from company to […]
Learning Objectives Understand what two case studies can teach about industrial data analysis. Compare and contrast differences in a large-scale, multi-plant data analytics project and a local process control data analytics effort. Learn how data analytics can help fill the skills gap. Industrial data analysis insights A pair of case studies provide instructive examples […]
High Availability Insights High availability (HA) is one modern way manufacturers can reach their efficiency goals. Traditionally, HA has been built into distributed control systems and used mainly in critical circumstances, however, utilizing HA for key functions more regularly has proven to be cost-effective and increase uptime. An increase in demand for HA functionality has […]
Autonomous mobile robots (AMR) are used to handle the transportation of material without the need for a human operator. The use of autonomous mobile robots is becoming a necessity in almost every industry. The AMR industry is expected to become a $54 billion sector by 2023. AMRs are commonly used for automating transportation in the […]
Learning Objectives Many processing facilities in the United States have never been upgraded even though they’ve been operating for decades in some cases. Creating a checklist allows companies to make informed decisions and prioritize potential upgrades to aging equipment. Every facility should review its equipment to verify its life expectancy and ensure it is safe […]
After a serious contraction in sales in 2020, the cobot market experienced a resounding 40% growth rebound in 2021, exceeding its 2019 market size. The period out to 2026 will see further strong expansion in sales and our forecasts show that by 2026 the cobot market will be worth over $2 billion. The challenge will be […]
When designing a human-machine interface (HMI), it’s important to keep in mind it needs to be designed for the human eye. An HMI should help the operator to see the most important information so they can run the plant floor smoothly, fix problems fast as they come up, and prevent downtime and accidents. Certain patterns […]
SEMI and the UCLA Center for Heterogeneous Integration and Performance Scaling (UCLA CHIPS) announced they have won a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to produce a roadmap for advancing heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging technologies in the United States. The roadmap will build upon the […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a marked effect on manufacturing in many ways. Collaborative robots (cobots) are not immune. Insights are provided on the pandemic’s effect and the future for cobots, which is looking bright overall. What impact has the pandemic had on demand for cobots? It’s had a positive impact… if we can talk […]