Industrial Automation News

It has been many years since a steel mill was built in the U.S.A., so this new 15 acre (6 hectares) plant in Columbus, MS deserves a close look. It started operation in 2007 and produces 1.5m tons of hot and cold-rolled steel products each year and will soon double its capacity. All of the drives, motors, control and automation systems were supplied by a joint venture of G.E., Toshiba, and Mitsubishi Electric. The article is written for the control engineer: it gives an overview of the advanced software and process models used to drive the PLCs in their continuous, 24/7 operation of the plant.

Moxa's EDS-P506A-4PoE and EDS-P206A-4PoE IEEE 802.3af/at supporting industrial Ethernet switches provide up to 30 W of power for power-hungry PoE-enabled devices, such as PTZ cameras and long distance wireless access points. Moxa also offers an industrial 10/100/1000 Mbps PoE plus injector, INJ-24, for upgrading non-PoE industrial Ethernet networks to PoE-enabled.

Improve efficiency and boost productivity with electric actuators. Use a proven alternative to hydraulic and pneumatic—the LINAK LA36 electric actuator, designed to operate under extreme conditions. Benefit from a simplified system design, easy installation, various positioning feedback options, zero maintenance, lower costs, efficient power usage, and low noise.

Two phenomena plague pneumatic escapements — broken fingers, and premature wear on interlocks and seals. SMC's MIW innovations avoid these failures.

• Floating finger mechanism reduces breaks and seal wear
• Air logic eliminates wear from interlock preload
• 3 finger styles and 5 sizes
• Scraper and stroke adjuster options

Looking for low-cost, low-power, easy-to-implement FHSS module? Then check out RFM's DNT-series RF modules. 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz; supports Analog, Digital I/O, Serial data; multiple software-selectable RF data rates and RF power (up to 1 W 900 MHz, 100 mW 2.4 GHz); unlimited number of radios in single network; AES-128 encryption; and much, much more.

Programmable controllers (PLC) have become key components in controlling the operation of factory floor machines and devices. As a consequence, they steadily collect and transmit data from the equipment and become not just a single controller, but an extension of the whole enterprise computer system. This article gives a broad overview of the PLC's position in manufacturing today.

Control engineers designing products for Europe have until the end of 2011 to choose between complying with the "old" Safety Directive, based on EN 954-1, or the new, more complicated one. It is tempting to consider the new directive a nuisance, but in fact this author says it will not only improve machine safety, but also productivity.

Like it or not, fieldbus will eventually sweep away most of today's 4-20 mA analog connections. For older engineers, it can be a frightening prospect. This South African engineer explains what the change will mean for engineers who design the system, those who install the system, and operations and maintenance teams who are the final users.

Working in an Ohio steel mill with temperatures as high as 3000 F (1650 C) these 32 wireless transmitters in a HART network consistently give results that are reliable enough to control the electric arc furnace. And, they do their job so well, the company has added up to one more batch per day.

Sierra Monitor IT Series smart hazardous gas detection systems provide plantwide monitoring of combustible gas, oxygen deficiency, and toxic gas with network compatibility with Modbus, 4-20 mA, SentryBus and relay output.

• User friendly, menu-driven display, and non-intrusive calibration.
• Longest calibration interval in industry for low operating costs.

Thermal Edge Enclosure Air Conditioners will keep your electrical enclosures cool and clean with our UL Listed systems. Our units range from 1,000 BTUH to 20,000 BTUH and are available in NEMA Types 12, 4, and 4X. We include a programmable digital controller and condensate evaporation.

mvBlueLYNX-X, next generation of intelligent camera. The CPU core is based on the ARM technology — 1 GHz target clock, image processing acceleration by DSP coprocessor for parallel handling of multiple pixels. Suited for machine vision, the large processing power and high-end display and graphics capability make it perfect for many other application areas.

Allied has the most name brands in the industry for industrial automation. For sensors and switches, control interface, automation and control, and enclosures, Allied is your Industrial Automation Distributor of Choice. Click to learn how you can win an iPad from Allied. www.alliedelec.com.

Engineers at this power station in the UK wanted to replace six two-speed motor powered fans with conventional AC induction motors. But there was a problem: could they find AC variable speed drives narrow enough to fit into the cubicles occupied by the direct on-line motor starters? In this instance, size was the determining factor!

With the coming era of the "smart grid," the utilities industry is faced with the same problem automation engineers have had for a long time: how to protect sensitive electronics and communications equipment from the environment. Here's a primer of enclosure types, factors to take into consideration for selection, and how the ratings are assessed.

This animated video of a chocolate bar production line shows how RFID technology is used throughout the entire process: from the automated forklift that delivers empty mold racks, to the robot that feeds the production line, and on through stages of verification and optimization of the process. Captions show what is going on at each stage.

Passive high-frequency (HF) RFID is a key radio frequency identification technology that is making previously difficult wireless temperature sensing applications possible. Unlike the more commonly used 2.45 GHz ultrahigh frequencies (UHF), 13.56 MHz HF is more tolerant of water and humidity. The article describes a transmitting and receiving system that has been built with HF components.

AutomationDirect now offers low-cost panel and DIN-rail mounted DC power supplies with overload, overvoltage, thermal protection, and 2-3 year warranty. Rugged panel-mount PSS models offer universal AC/DC inputs and 12/24 VDC outputs (35-100 W). DIN-rail PSB models offer universal single/three-phase inputs and 12/24 VDC outputs (15-480 W). PSS prices start at $19.75.

Evoc Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. is proud to introduce the 5.25 in. SBC with I7/I5/I3 series CPU and VGA/LVDS /HDMI/2LAN/Audio/Raid. To learn more about the specifications of the EC5-1813L2NAR and where to buy, go here.

New SeaI/O modules with open-collector outputs are designed for controlling common industrial peripherals. Each output circuit is protected against highly inductive loads such as DC motors. Interface via Modbus over Ethernet, USB, RS-485, or RS-232. Housed in rugged, metal enclosures, the modules operate over a range of -25 C to 85 C. Read more...

Patented LIMPRO Injection Molding Machines are designed exclusively for liquid silicone rubber use and are especially well suited for medical applications where particulates and contamination are of great concern. LIMPRO technology was originally developed to meet the tight tolerance requirements necessary for haptic type intraocular lenses.

Fully accredited PLC Technician Certificate prepares you to install, maintain, program, and operate PLC's in industrial systems. Includes PLC simulation software based on the Allen-Bradley format. Request more info!

The inventor of the Segway Human Transporter — a real science enthusiast himself — worries that children growing up today in the completely media-driven culture that we live in will miss an important point: sports and entertainment, he says, are not the cause of our wealth and success, they are the result of it. How can we motivate children to study science?

Brought to you by NASA Goddard, this creative video was assembled from Hubble Telescope images and amalgamated with other sources to produce a 3D video "tour" of the universe, starting in the middle somewhere and moving outwards in both space and time, past all of the galaxies, past the quasars, and even past the cosmic background radiation.

Are Meetings a Waste of Time?

When you're at a meeting, do you find yourself wishing you were somewhere else?