Articles
The application of IEEE 1588 to industrial automation
One trend in discrete part manufacturing is towards faster and higher precision part production — more parts per minute and better quality. Traditional control solutions can be stretched to their limits. By replacing traditional control solutions with time-based control, higher spped and precision can be realised.
[ + ]SEW drives Melbourne Airport upgrade
Melbourne Airport recently embarked on an upgrade and expansion of its baggage-handling system, enlisting materials handling and automation group BCS Group to carry out the redevelopment. BCS Group implemented the new baggage-handling system, founded on technologies from drives solutions group SEW-Eurodrive.
[ + ]The advantages of plant-wide historians vs relational databases
In an increasingly competitive environment, companies need to gain a sustainable advantage by achieving operational excellence, a journey that begins with data that gives process visibility.
[ + ]New EDDL is guiding radar: interface level made easy
Guided wave radar (GWR) level transmitters are ideal for challenging level and interface measurements on liquids, slurries and solids. A new breakthrough technology called electronic device description language (EDDL) integrates GWR level transmitters with intelligent device management software in a way not previously possible.
[ + ]Leak detection advances using fibre optics
Imagine being able to monitor your pipeline the entire length with thousands of monitoring points providing a near real-time picture of what’s actually happening — with fibre-optic technology, this can be a reality.
[ + ]Large KSB pumps for Western Australia
In April 2009, KSB Aktiengesellschaft, Germany, booked an order for four large water pumps to be supplied to a new pumping station in Western Australia.
[ + ]Determinism in industrial ethernet:
A technology overview — Part 1
The benefits of using well-established ethernet and internet technologies in industrial plants are too great to ignore, but overcoming the requirement for real-time operation has led to some innovative approaches to how this ubiquitous technology can be used in process plants and factory automation.
[ + ]Smarter robotic palletising
More and more, customers are wanting to automate the palletising function within their production facilities but are often unable to provide space for such a system. And in today’s current economic conditions, customers are becoming even more focused on the return on investment of their capital equipment purchases.
[ + ]Using USB for test and measurement: benefits and potential dangers
Recognised for its ease of use and flexibility, USB is one of the fastest growing buses within the computer and electronics industries today.
[ + ]New overland conveyor for the Port of Newcastle
ABB is to provide a drive system for an overland coal conveyor at a new export terminal being built by Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG). The new terminal will enable an increase in coal exports from the Newcastle region of New South Wales and will be constructed at Newcastle Port, Kooragang Island. The project represents the largest single-stage development of a new coal terminal of this magnitude in the world.
[ + ]Breathe easy
For many organisations today, one aspect of the manufacturing process that needs to be monitored and controlled, for both efficiency and environmental benefit, is gaseous emissions.
[ + ]Australian pneumatic systems for world’s largest fish oil manufacturer
An Australian-manufactured, tough, light and recyclable pneumatic reticulation system has been selected for use in a 100% plant expansion for the largest fish oil manufacturer in the world.
[ + ]What a mesh!
The ins and outs of mesh networking — Part 2
In the first part of this article we discussed the basics of wireless mesh networking and what criteria you should use when assessing a mesh networking technology. This month we compare four available technologies.
[ + ]Laser particle sampling at Paraburdoo iron ore
The installation of an Outotec PSI 500 particle size analyser at Rio Tinto Iron Ore at Paraburdoo, in the Pilbara, is the first in Australia.
[ + ]MES: take the time upfront
Businesses have been touting the financial benefits of manufacturing execution systems (MES) software ever since it became available in the early 1990s. Unfortunately, MES has followed a path similar to that of enterprise resource planning (ERP), meaning that many early implementations did not reach their promised goals.
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