Not a day goes by without news of a new computer security threat. Whether it’s the Stuxnet virus, a hacker gaining access to consumers’ credit card numbers or social security numbers, or companies and government agencies reporting network security breaches, our increasingly interconnected world makes us more vulnerable to these kinds of threats. But the […]
Editor Blogs
New Software Offerings Aid Energy Savings for Manufacturers
As mentioned in a previous blog posting summarizing the news from the recent Pack Expo, there is an ongoing and renewed interest in energy consumption in manufacturing plants. Plant managers and engineers are looking beyond some of the more obvious starting points such as lighting to the machinery in plants, specifically the motors and systems packed […]
Pack Expo 2012 Show Summary
Despite Hurricane Sandy’s best efforts, Pack Expo in Chicago carried on with healthy attendance the two days I was there (one of which was an extra unexpected day due to a cancelled flight.) The show draws thousands from all over the world and is the premiere event for packaging equipment and processing with over 1,800 […]
Siemens Acquires Kineo CAM, Motion and Path Planning Software Company
Continuing the trend of integrating the many aspects of design and manufacturing into one comprehensive solution, Siemens has recently acquired the French firm Kineo CAM, specializing in computer-aided motion software. This acquisition expands the company’s PLM software line by adding motion system design capabilities. Already, Kineo CAM provides some key components for Siemens’ PLM core […]
An IMTS 2012 Wrap Up
It’s hard to know where to even begin. Last week’s IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) at Chicago’s McCormick Place had over 100,000 registrants and thousands of exhibitors, big and small, filling up each of McCormick Place’s four massive exhibition halls. Political rhetoric from a presidential election campaign season notwithstanding, all of the people I spoke with […]
Motion Control News Roundup: Acquisitions
First on the radar this week in the world of motion control is some big news about company acquisitions. AMETEK announced this week that it has completed its acquisition of the parent company of Dunkermotoren GmbH, a supplier of advanced motion control systems for a wide range of industrial automation applications. Frank S. Hermance, AMETEK’s […]
DC Servo Motor Sizing Made Easy: A Practical 1/2 Day Course
There’s still time to register for the 1/2 day course on DC Servo Motor Sizing Made Easy. Information on the course is below: Presented by Dr. Urs Kafader, maxon motor, and author of the textbook “The Selection of High-precision Microdrives” Location/Date: Hilton Garden Inn Dorval Aeroport St. Laurent, PQ Tuesday June 12, 2012 Location/Date:Radisson Plaza Mississauga- […]
Engineering Q&A with Brandon Jones
Name: Brandon Jones Employer: Hegel Holdings, LLC Position: Applications Engineer Education: B.S.G.E. – University of Illinois What do you think is the biggest challenge facing engineers today? In the past, it was about finding a job that offered what you wanted in terms of working with something you were interested in, the schedule and demand, […]
Industry Forecasts… What are They Good For?
A recent report from the firm Frost & Sullivan on the integrated motor and drive market in Europe got me thinking about issues beyond the forecast itself. First, the specifics. The reports anticipates an annual growth rate for the European integrated motor and drive market of 12.1% from 2010 to 2017. The growth is being […]
This Week in Motion – February 7, 2011
Senior Editor Miles Budimir highlights some of the week’s new motion control products with a focus this week on encoders. Specifically, a 27-bit encoder from Renishaw, an inductive rotary encoder from Heidenhain, and magnetostrictive sensors from MTS Systems.
