Learning Objectives 5G wireless communication can help process manufacturers realize digital transformation. 5G can help in many ways including cloud robotics, remote monitoring and more. A proof-of-concept was performed with remote control technology to prove 5G could be successfully used in a process manufacturing facility. Wireless Insights Wireless communications can help connect mobile devices such […]
Tetrahedron-shaped nanoparticles are interesting enough by themselves, but under the right circumstances, Rice University scientists have discovered they do something remarkable. Rice chemist Matthew Jones and graduate student Zhihua Cheng found their microscopic particles had the unanticipated ability to arrange themselves into 2D chiral superstructures. The discovery, which is detailed in a new study in Nature Communications, is likely the first-known […]
Data Center Insights Data centers are growing in size and their energy intensity, which is resulting in a need to reduce consumption because of the high costs they incur. The motors operating behind the scenes are a key aspect to this. There is significant demand for high-efficiency motors coming from the end users when it […]
Ethernet Insights Ethernet has become the main communications protocol in manufacturing for a long time and now companies are using Internet of Things (IoT) protocols to improve communications. IoT communications has many benefits, but it also needs enhanced security and protocol efficiency because more systems are vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks. Time-sensitive networking (TSN) has become […]
Learning Objectives Unplanned downtime is a major problem for manufacturers and critical infrastructure, and cybersecurity lapses are a growing cause. A cross-domain solution (CDS) manages secure communications between IT and OT domains. A common use case for a CDS is replicating process historian data to the enterprise, either on the business network or to the […]
Learning Objectives A fieldbus safety protocol taking a black channel approach for machine safety communication is becoming more common. Safety over EtherCAT (FSoE) is an open safety system with multiple vendors of safety controllers, safety inputs and outputs and functionally-safe drives. Cyclic redundancy checks (CRCs) and watchdogs (WDs) help reduce potential errors. Cybersecurity Insights Fail […]
Semiconductor Insights Cubic boron arsenide is more ideal than silicon for semiconductor chips because it conducts heat better and handles holes from electrons’ positively charged counterparts. While this is good news from a research standpoint, cubic boron arsenide has not been made outside of lab tests and it is unknown if it can be made […]
Cybersecurity Insights Ransomware is a type of cyberattack where a threat actor steals data from a company and holds it for ransom — although companies have been known to pay the ransom and get nothing in return. When dealing with ransomware, it is important to compare the cost of preventing attacks against the cost of […]
IIoT Solutions Insights Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) can provide valuable solutions including enhanced connectivity, efficiency, scalability, and more. Message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) is a messaging protocol for IIoT, and is a fitting solution for industrial control systems given its low-bandwidth and bi-directional design. IIoT has provided the transportation and waste/wastewater industries with great […]
Control Engineering‘s top 5 content over the past week covered PLC programming, digital transformation, control systems, cybersecurity and more. Links to each article below. 1. A look at digital transformation using the cloud Cloud architecture, when examined in its entirety, can be very complex. Focusing on its interface with operations technology makes matters clearer and […]