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By Jeff Shepard, Contributed by DigiKey’s North American Editors Smart home energy management systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) controllers, smart locks, and more are being designed using the Matter connectivity standard. Many smart home systems need a variety of sensors for monitoring motion, sound, light, and environmental parameters like temperature, humidity, air quality, and…

Smart motor controls are needed that can maximize resilience and uptime of machinery in the next generation of Industry 4.0 manufacturing, metals and basic materials processing, mineral extraction and mining, and critical infrastructure like drinking water and wastewater plants. The motor controls in these applications must be able to control and protect motors between 75…

By Lisa Eitel, Contributed By DigiKey’s North American Editors Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are ruggedized microprocessor-based electronics essential to all modern automation, including: The process-heavy industries of oil and gas, nuclear, steelmaking, and wastewater treatment Industries with an emphasis on control of discrete tasks — including general factory automation, automated warehousing, packaging, food and beverage,…

The proliferation of edge devices that employ artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) presents designers with a growing array of challenges, including overcoming performance limitations, supporting connectivity, and ensuring security, all while minimizing power consumption. Balancing the need to maximize performance while minimizing power consumption can be especially difficult. Using a multi-core microcontroller unit…

Motion Index Drives introduces the VTMF series, a range of rotary indexers meticulously designed for vertical mounting orientations. Ideal for heavy automated robotic weld cells, robotic inspection cells, or robotic assembly applications, the VTMF series stands as Motion Index Drives’ flagship for precision and adaptability. Key Features of the VTMF Series Vertical Mounting Expertise: Engineered…

To achieve lower production cost and improve return on investment, manufacturers are adding custom positioning systems to their process. For example, with one IEC 61131-3- compliant automation program running on one processor, manufacturers move robots smoothly along linear track systems while performing several tasks in the same cell. With these new positioning systems, there is…

Incorporating single axis trunnions and multi-axis weld positioners into manufacturing operations significantly expands the possibilities for welding automation. These advanced systems enable manufacturers to maximize throughput, improve weld quality, and save valuable floor space. Positioners provide robots with better access to tooling or parts, optimize workspace by reducing the floor footprint, simplify part removal, and…

For decades cam indexers have been used in automated lines to provide high precision location and sometimes in multiple stations for a process to be performed very accurately. Today cam indexing can be used in a variety of ways and provides superior accuracy to other technologies. Traditional gear positioners suffice for manual operations where an…

Sponsored by Altech. Monitoring relays are essential for the safe and efficient operation of electrical systems. They continuously monitor critical parameters such as voltages, currents, frequencies and phase rotation, triggering a response when abnormalities arise. For example, they can prevent motors from overheating due to unbalanced loads, which could lead to uneven wear and tear…

Partner content with ACE Controls. Food manufacturers produce some of the most difficult products to craft. Items must be handled gently, which is not easy when moving at breakneck speeds through industrial mechanisms. As such, shock absorbers play a key role in ensuring safety, the condition of food-grade machinery and the tasty bites they produce.…

Using an air purge on linear encoders provides a number of reliability benefits, but generating the required flow of dry, clean compressed air requires a considerable amount of energy over the lifetime of a machine. This has an impact on the total cost of ownership and the lifetime CO2e footprint of the encoders. Why use…

Strategic Questions to ask for Efficient and Effective Drive Integration. by Don Congdon, Corporate Trainer, SEW-EURODRIVE Selecting a drive for a new application or replacing an existing one need not be a daunting experience. The key to successful drive selection is methodically asking the right questions to understand the application’s requirements thoroughly. This guide aims…

This guide breaks down the essential technical data to consider when selecting a servomotor for your automation needs. Choosing the right servomotor is crucial for the efficiency and success of any automation project. With a variety of options on the market, understanding the technical specifications and how they align with your application’s requirements is key.…

Exploring industrial drives, power supplies, and energy solutions to reduce peak power usage and installation costs, and to promote overall system efficiency The manufacturing world is changing. With more plants incorporating automated machines and systems that promote flexibility and energy efficiency, power and energy management systems are a critical part of this equation. As companies…

So what is MOVI-C® from SEW-EURODRIVE? MOVI-C® is a modular automation system is a one-software, one-hardware automation platform that combines fully integrated drive components, control electronics and automation software – all from one source. The key to the MOVI-C platform is that each of those components is designed to work together perfectly.  Advanced Technology for…

Renishaw offers a comprehensive range of non-contact encoders for position and motion control. These vary from open or enclosed optical, magnetic and laser encoders. Discover how our different types of encoder products can meet your industrial automation needs. Renishaw’s high-accuracy and high-quality encoders offer superior reliability, easy installation and are suitable for even the harshest environments. The FORTiS encoder series is a next-generation enclosed…

Clippard provides thousands of standard and special precision flow control products to design engineers and manufacturers around the world. Clippard’s expertise is not limited to providing over 7,000 standard products, but also offers a unique advantage by providing custom products and value-added assemblies for hundreds of applications. Electronic Pressure Regulators & Flow Controllers Electronic Valves:…

Dig into the specs and story of an innovative DC power solution that works with every AC input for DC powered components.  Sponsored by Altech  Every industry faces challenges with consistent power supply. When facilities lose power unexpectedly, a variety of problems can ensue. Altech, a leader in automation and control components, addresses these issues…

By Shannon VanDeren, AMUG President, and Ed Graham, AMUG Director, Education and Conference The 2024 AMUG Conference is rapidly approaching. The five-day event opens on March 10, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois, to host additive manufacturing (AM) users in ways that advance their skills, broaden their horizons and ignite new collaborations. On the surface, the AMUG…

By Kate Nadeau, Marketing Manager CAD360 – Custom Conveyor Models in Minutes CAD360 is an all-in-one online conveyor modeling platform; providing 2D and 3D models and images within minutes. Registration is simple and free; and once registered you can access over 30 different conveyor platforms; in addition to a dozen pre-configured conveyor system layouts. CAD360…

By Renishaw The problem: Machine tools can produce significant vibration during operation and high levels of machine vibration can adversely affect the enclosed position encoders installed on these machines, leading to measurement inaccuracies. The quality of axis position measurement can directly impact aspects of process quality, such as feature accuracy and surface finish. Position measurement…