Several announcements from ABB at this week’s Hannover Messe industrial trade fair in Hannover, Germany showcase the future of IoT, connectivity and remote monitoring. Two announcements in particular illustrate how these trends are shaping the development of Industry 4.0. The first is that ABB has extended its discrete automation offering to deliver more connectivity and […]
Software
WITTENSTEIN free sizing software cymex 5 announced at Hannover Messe
This week at Hannover Messe 2016, WITTENSTEIN alpha is unveiling new cymex 5 sizing software. This multifunctional software helps engineers design drive trains more reliably, economically and energy efficiently. This is achieved through an optimization which identifies downsizing potential and thus guarantees the highest possible energy efficiency and power density throughout the drive train. More after […]
Embedded software enables IoT in today’s vehicles
by Anil Khanna, Andrew Patteron, Mentor Automotive IoT connectivity for next-generation automotive apps is made possible by new software devised with audio and video networking in mind. There’s a shifting landscape when it comes to today’s modern automobiles. Automakers face the challenge of satisfying consumer expectations for rich, multimedia experiences within the vehicle cabin. Meanwhile, […]
New online configuration tool STOBER FITS for design
STOBER Inc. recently released STOBER FITS, an online motion-design configuration tool that lets engineers quickly and easily specify and select STOBER power-transmission and control products. The focus of the tool is to improve overall customer experience — expediting selection, sizing and specification processes for engineers through a unified and convenient online process. Determining what STOBER product is needed and ordering it […]
Interview: Lenze’s Burns on today’s automation software
In a recent phone conversation, I got the chance to talk with Doug Burns, director of business development at Lenze Americas Corp., about how new automation-software developments are dramatically reducing machine development time and simplifying the programming of motion control and robotics. In our conversation, we also discussed how robots are increasingly common in packaging, but a lot […]
Lenze brings robot programming module to gantry pick-and-place applications
Lenze is paving the way for easy configuration of pick-and-place robotics used in the areas of intralogistics, packaging technology, assembly and material handling systems. Robotic motion for gantry systems and automatic stackers is designed more easily with the robotics module in the Lenze FAST application software. “Most gantry robots operate on a single axis using […]
Control Techniques’ Add-on Instructions simplify drive, PLC integration
Control Techniques’ Add-On Instruction (AOI) offering makes it easy to integrate Unidrive M with Allen-Bradley CompactLogix and ControlLogix PLCs. An open and editable file, the Unidrive M AOI integrates easily into the Logix architecture allowing for further future flexibility. This free AOI download provides an easy path to integrate Control Techniques’ Advanced Motion Controller (AMC) […]
B&R simplifies packaging automation for ladder-logic fans
North American packaging machinery users and OEMs benefit from familiar ladder-logic programming, but new packaging-automation software is easier. As machine functionalities become more sophisticated, ladder programs can become too complicated, even when supplemented by function blocks. Modular application (mapp) technology from B&R maintains familiar, IEC compliant ladder and function block programming – except with mapp components, […]
Technology Tuesdays Podcast: Jeff Phillips on LabVIEW 2015
For this week’s Design World Technology Tuesdays Podcast, I spoke with Jeff Phillips, Section Manager for Software Platforms at National Instruments. Last week at NI Week 2015, National Instruments released the latest version of LabVIEW with an emphasis on “faster”; opening code faster, writing code faster, debugging code faster, and deploying code faster. I talk […]
Software with standard modules can now drive motion and robots
By Detlef Stork – Technology Manager, Motion – Lenze Machine builders must deliver designs with more flexibility than ever. Standardized motion software helps them go beyond segregated component and drive purchases with efficient programming of even complex robotic movement. Today’s increasingly custom products are leading to smaller production batches, so production machinery is becoming more […]
