The high Australian dollar and relatively high labour costs make the need for an efficient process critical. Process automation can contribute significantly to this. [ + ]

Compared with parallel wiring, fieldbus systems have a negative impact on the availability of process-related plants and systems. This is because users have to isolate the entire bus segment from the network in order to, say, replace a defective component. [ + ]

Businesses must find a balance between strong financial outcomes and the responsibility for sustainable energy consumption and reduced carbon emissions. Changes made in processes to facilitate sustainability should be viewed as a long-term proposition that rewards with more than just regulatory compliance. [ + ]

National Manufacturing Week (NMW) 2012 returns to Sydney this May, and it’s going to be big: 10,000 anticipated visitors, over 300 local and international manufacturing industry suppliers and a record 12 Product Zones. [ + ]

Track-guided transport systems have been used in highly automated production environments for some time now. Whether in automobile production, automation of material flow or warehouse logistics, rail-based mobile units transport the required parts in all of these areas. Normally, communication to the mobile units is established using contact lines and mechanical contacts. [ + ]

A six-month project, completed by Ovivo Australia in just 12 weeks, has enabled two large beverage companies to increase their production capacity by 420%.

Converging plant and enterprise networks into an integrated architecture is rapidly gaining ground in industry as a means to providing a method of uniting multiple control disciplines into a single cohesive plant-wide system. However, the use of ethernet to facilitate integration may expose the company to an increased level of risk.

Reducing energy consumption is one of the most important requirements today when modernising machines and systems. Often, there is great potential for saving energy - which, in the end, means saving money.

A major Australian gold mine at Stawell in Central Victoria has far exceeded its own expectations following an upgraded flotation circuit developed in partnership with Outotec Services.

The apt Hiller Group (apt Hiller GmbH) in Monheim, Germany, makes aluminium semifinished products for markets in Europe. In run-out lengths of up to 60 metres, the profiles are transported via giant cross conveyors that function as refrigerated tables on which the roughly 500°C profiles from the press are cooled down to 30-40°C.

For many years various Australian authorities have been slowly installing water-fluoridation plants in a general endeavour to promote dental health. In the last few years, though, the pace of fluoridation has quickened as various states have introduced fluoridation programs, backed by state government subsidies.

The cleanliness and quality of compressed air used in many industrial processes is vital to prevent contamination of the end product in food and pharmaceutical manufacturing, and to provide safe operation of specialised equipment in hazardous environments.

To make the right decisions you have to learn to doubt your measurements.

Hirschmann’s inaugural Australian Mission Critical Network Design Seminar on the Gold Coast proved to be a great success.

In today’s engineering and plant management environment we are witnessing massive change in the way we do things and communication is at the very heart of these modifications.