Teknic’s Robotic Bartender uses one of Teknic’s new ClearCore controllers (Arduino compatible) and six ClearPath integrated servo motors. A small team of engineers were challenged to demonstrate the flexibility and power of the new controller. They came up with a robotic bartender that lets you order one of 130,000 possible drink combinations for the perfect […]
Networking + IoT
Trends: Sensors on the front lines of changing industrial world
Sensors play a key role in many types of automation systems and machines, helping ensure they perform at their optimal level. Sensors are also at the core of the trend for increased condition monitoring and the larger program of predictive maintenance, which aims to reduce or eliminate sudden and catastrophic machine failure by actively monitoring […]
Teknic launches new EtherNet/IP Motion and I/O Controller
Teknic recently launched ClearLink, a Motion and I/O Controller offering users of EtherNet/IP compatible PLCs, such as CompactLogix, MicroLogix, and ControlLogix. It provides a new way to save space, money, and wiring in automated machinery. ClearLink provides 4 axes of motion control, a serial port, 13 configurable digital & analog I/O points, and expandable I/O […]
Building IoT into new machines
With IoT-capable hardware and software readily available, engineers are seeing the benefits of including IoT functionality into new machine designs by default. Rich Carpenter Silvia Gonzalez Emerson Rapid developments in the consumer electronics realm have become a general expectation of users everywhere, with vendor releases each year predictably topping previous iterations for performance, features, and […]
What is AS-I Safety and what are its benefits for motion systems?
When sensors, actuators, and other lower-level components are used in a functional safety capacity, AS-Interface Safety at Work offers a simple, efficient, bus network for monitoring these safety devices — alongside standard, non-safety devices — on the AS-Interface cable. Recall that actuator-sensor interface (AS-Interface, or simply AS-I) is a master-slave bus that operates at the […]
The benefits of integrating vision into machine control
Scalable PC-based automation, robust network solutions and open camera standards allow machine vision to ditch black boxes and increase throughput. Daymon Thompson U.S. Software Product Manager Beckhoff Automation LLC Machine vision has become indispensable for many tasks in quality inspection, track-and-trace and more. As costs decrease and capabilities increase, practically any machine in any industry […]
BG series of Dunkermotoren now available with integrated PROFINET interface
Modern machines and devices use all available process data to optimize them and make them transparent. PROFINET as a communication standard is ideally suited for this. Dunkermotoren early on integrated PROFINET functionality, including the PROFIdrive profile with application classes 1 and 4, into motors as standard. This offers PROFINET users significant advantages in cabling, commissioning […]
Wiegand sensors offer proximity sensing with extra powers
Wiegand sensors are tiny devices that use variations in an external magnetic field to generate electrical signals and energy. They have unique properties that make them a useful option for many proximity sensing systems. Wiegand sensors are built around small sections of Wiegand wire, a specially prepared ferromagnetic alloy that has a unique physical property. […]
Inductive proximity and magneto resistive sensors enhance IoT4.0 connectivity for Nexen brake families
Nexen Group, Nexen Servo, Rail, and ZSE brake lines now have Industry 4.0 connectivity sensor options to enhance machine efficiency. Multiple sensors integrated into the brake families provide information about brake operation and health to the control system network. The sensors used in the spring-operated air-released ZSE brakes provide operation information such as brake engagement […]
Podcast: Dave Hein of Nexen Group on brakes having functional safety certification
In our most recent Technology Tuesdays podcast, Dave Hein — senior vice president and engineering and chief technology officer at Nexen Group — chatted with us about three brake options that now have Functional Safety certification. Listen in: Design World · Brakes with Functional Safety certification: Update from Nexen Group engineer Dave Hein According […]
