How Embedded Devices and the Cloud Are Leading a Paradigm Shift in Manufacturing and Production
This cannot be a simple extension of todays processes, but needs to be a complete rethink of how manufacturing and production systems are designed to take full advantage of the cloud and the analytics that it brings to bear.
Logistic companies Swisslog, Dematic, Egemin and Intelligrated have all been Acquired
All these companies are logistics and material handling vendors and times are changing in logistics and fulfillment
Hitachi Begins Development of Factory Automation Platform as a Service Testbed
Kagan Pittman for Engineering.com: Will the Internet of Things be the future of manufacturing? Global conglomerate Hitachi Group seems to think so.
Hitachi recently partnered with Mitsubishi Electric and Intel to receive approval for their Factory Automation Platform as a Service (FA PaaS) Testbed at the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), a global non-profit organization.
The testbed will operate as a testing platform based on the reference model of IIC to test solutions in controlled scenarios that match real-world conditions, for the ultimate purpose of connecting manufacturing sites with head offices in order to streamline their operations.
Hitachi hopes to use the FA PaaS to respond to what they see as a market rapidly growing and demanding faster product development, market introduction, quality improvements and shorter lead times. Cont'd...
What Super-Efficient Manufacturing Looks Like
The Tesla factory in Fremont, California, and the Gigafactory in Nevada are monuments to science and progress.
Schneider Electric's three steps for implementing Industry 4.0
Eric Emin Wood for IT World Canada: Manufacturing companies with visions of incorporating the latest automated, cloud-based, analytical tech into their production process need to recognize the value of a measured approach, an original equipment manufacturing (OEM) veteran says.
Martin Stephenson, vice president of process automation for OEM Schneider Electric Canada, which specializes in power management, building management, datacentres, and process and automation control, says that while some firms are equipped to embrace the change right away, others might find that implementing what he calls “Industry 4.0” isn’t a good fit for them at all.
“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” he says. “Customers need to have a truthful conversation with themselves and say, ‘How do we manage what we do now? Are we ready for this step? … Do we have the right infrastructure? Do we have the right cybersecurity in place?’ There are a lot of discussions to be had before this leap of faith happens.” Cont'd...
10 Ways Machine Learning Is Revolutionizing Manufacturing
Louis Columbus for Forbes: Every manufacturer has the potential to integrate machine learning into their operations and become more competitive by gaining predictive insights into production.
Machine learning’s core technologies align well with the complex problems manufacturers face daily. From striving to keep supply chains operating efficiently to producing customized, built- to-order products on time, machine learning algorithms have the potential to bring greater predictive accuracy to every phase of production. Many of the algorithms being developed are iterative, designed to learn continually and seek optimized outcomes. These algorithms iterate in milliseconds, enabling manufacturers to seek optimized outcomes in minutes versus months.
The ten ways machine learning is revolutionizing manufacturing include the following:
Microscan Visionscape® GigE Camera Performs Precision Measurement of Apertures in Digital Camera Housing at Foxconn
his case study from the electronics manufacturing industry could be applied to other sectors, and as vision technology advances and experience from its practical application is accumulated, there are sure to be even more challenges addressed using precision machine vision solutions.
'UK manufacturers fail to understand Industry 4.0'
Ian Vallely for Works Management: There isn't enough understanding of Industry 4.0 by UK manufacturers, according to a report by BDO in partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. It said just 8% of UK manufacturers have a significant understanding of Industry 4.0 processes despite 59% recognising that the fourth industrial revolution will have a big impact on the sector, according to the report .
As the increasing use of automation, data exchange, technology and wider supply chain communications driven by Industry 4.0 provides both huge opportunities and threats to UK manufacturing, there remains a ‘gaping hole’ in the education and understanding of Industry 4.0.
According to the BDO Industry 4 0 Report, increased productivity, better data analysis, increased competitiveness and lower manufacturing costs are the top ways in which Industry 4.0 will affect UK manufacturing. Cont'd...
SME Launches High School Membership Program to Build the Manufacturing Workforce Pipeline
With an anticipated skills gap of 2 million jobs by 2025, the manufacturing industry needs to attract and inspire the next-generation workforce,
FIRST 3D TOOLS PRINTED ABOARD SPACE STATION
Evan Gough for UniverseToday: Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have manufactured their first tool using the 3D printer on board the station. This is another step in the ongoing process of testing and using additive manufacturing in space. The ability to build tools and replacement parts at the station is something NASA has been pursuing keenly.
The first tool printed was a simple wrench. This may not sound like ground-breaking stuff, unless you’ve ever been in the middle of a project only to find you’re missing a simple tool. A missing tool can stop any project in its tracks, and change everybody’s plans.
The benefits of manufacturing needed items in space are obvious. Up until now, every single item needed on the ISS had to be sent up via re-supply ship. That’s not a quick turnaround. Now, if a tool is lost or destroyed during normal use, a replacement can be quickly manufactured on-site. Cont'd...
Transforming 64-Bit Windows to Deliver Software-Only Real-Time Performance
Freed from the isolation of the real-time system and from other functions such as the user interface, OEMs are able to explore more innovative solutions with less risk and overhead.
MIT Food Computers
From MIT: The Food Computer is a controlled-environment agriculture technology platform that uses robotic systems to control and monitor climate, energy, and plant growth inside of a specialized growing chamber. Climate variables such as carbon dioxide, air temperature, humidity, dissolved oxygen, potential hydrogen, electrical conductivity, and root-zone temperature are among the many conditions that can be controlled and monitored within the growing chamber. Operational energy, water, and mineral consumption are monitored (and adjusted) through electrical meters, flow sensors, and controllable chemical dosers throughout the growth period.
Each specific set of conditions can be thought of as a climate recipe, and each recipe produces unique results in the phenotypes of the plants. Plants grown under different conditions may vary in color, size, texture growth rate, yield, flavor, and nutrient density. Food Computers can even program biotic and abiotic stresses, such as an induced drought, to create desired plant-based expressions... (project homepage)
Basic Assembly Skills Are as Important as Ever, Even in This Technology-heavy Era
Whatever advancements the future holds, production facilities will continue to need individuals who have a wide range of basic assembly skills and those individuals will always be indispensable.
Carnegie Mellon Taps Private Gift for Engineering Simulation Center
Dian Schaffhauser for Campus Technology: Carnegie Mellon University has launched a new collaboration with Ansys, a global company that produces software for engineering simulation. Under the terms of the agreement, the company will endow a new "Ansys Career Development Chair" in the College of Engineering and help fund a new building dedicated to the study of Industry 4.0. That facility will bring together faculty, students, researchers and corporate participants.
Industry 4.0 is the name given to a movement that uses sensor, robotic, simulation and other innovative technologies to shrink development cycles and transform product design, development and manufacturing.
The new 30,000 square foot facility, which will be known as the Ansys Building, is intended to expand the "making" capabilities of the college by adding a simulation and collaboration lab and a large open bay facility for undergraduate students to build full-scale projects. That open bay facility will be next door to the fabrication and machining facilities of the Hamerschlag Hall MakerWing, announced in December, where students will be able to make their components and then assemble them into larger systems. Cont'd...
Consider This When Buying a New VMC
The best vertical machining center for you is the one that meets your needs. Therefore, the first step when shopping for VMCs is to clearly determine what you need the machine to do.
Records 1801 to 1815 of 1920
First | Previous | Next | Last
Engineering - Featured Product
Affordable Excellence: The Go-To Tool for Finding Compressed Air Leaks
Find compressed air leaks fast with FLIR's new cutting-edge Si1-LD acoustic imaging camera. Leveraging advanced ultrasonic technology and onboard analytics, this affordable camera pinpoints leaks and quantifies incurred losses even in the nosiest environments. Upgrade your maintenance routine with the cost-effective FLIR Si1-LD - significantly reduce energy costs and increase system uptime. Get Started Today.
