Manufacturing and Automation White Papers

Data connectivity and collection has evolved past the workarounds and silos that long-plagued industrial ecosystems. New technology is transforming data accessibility—without interrupting your vital processes or requiring new equipment.

The precondition for any industrial change is technological progress. The data-based, networked, and autonomous value creation chain in production and logistics is the culmination of recent technological innovation. We refer to these developments as the fourth industrial revolution.

As many organizations move to build their automation capabilities, recent survey results suggest that certain best practices will differentiate successful efforts from others.

The Industrial Networking Enabling IIoT Communication white paper sets the stage for the Industrial Internet Network Framework (IINF), which will complement the Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework (IICF) by detailing requirements and best available technologies for the lower three layers of the industrial internet communication stack.

In the next decade, Digital Manufacturing technologies will allow companies to connect physical assets and processes by a "digital thread" - unleashing a seamless flow of data that will link every phase of the product lifecycle.

The Emory University Future of IIoT Predictive Maintenance research study was designed to identify the gaps between the high-level strategic and business drivers of change and the reality of implementation. For this purpose, we interviewed Maintenance and Reliability professionals responsible for Predictive Maintenance in their organizations.

In SME’s second report of the series, we’ll dive into how to get started defining strategies and implementing solutions by identifying 7 essential critical technology elements (CTE) building blocks. The important topic of finding and training skilled workers is the subject of SME’s third and final Smart Manufacturing Report coming later this year.

The Smart Manufacturing Report Series helps manufacturers consider, evaluate and execute strategies to become strong entities as the industry shifts to integrated and flexible advanced manufacturing technology and tools. Upcoming reports provide a roadmap for manufacturers who want to adopt these practices, outlining the right technologies and solutions, and how to recruit and train a “smart” workforce.

As part of the Industry 4.0 area at the recent EMO 2017 trade show, HEIDENHAIN presented a system of production in which all work steps are networked—from the design to the deliverable component. The core components of the network showcased were the software solutions of Connected Machining. They provide TNC controls with access to all order-related data in the company network, so the specialist at the TNC control can become a director of the process chain. This details much of that system.

Many are unaware of the extent to which the theoretical field of computer vision has produced tangible benefits for manufacturing. Embodied in compact smart cameras as well as powerful, PC-connected camera systems, the brilliant work of academicians is being used daily to make industrial operations safer, steadier and more productive. The ability to automatically extract information from digital images opens many doors for manufacturers striving to cut costs, improve quality and streamline their processes overall. The primary uses of machine vision are inspection, gauging, and robot guidance. This white paper by Omron Microscan explores machine vision’s fundamental functions, benefits for industrial automation and real-world applications.

With the explosion in adoption of IIOT applications utilizing MQTT as the messaging protocol, it is critical to implement cyber security at the forefront of its enablement. As with any other computer network, an IIOT application is only as secure as the weakest link in the infrastructure. This white paper will discuss some of the best practices in implementing a secure MQTT infrastructure.

The need for real-time uncompressed video places a significant burden on networks. In industrial vision systems, glass-to-glass latency thresholds are in the order of 130 milliseconds (ms) or less. For image-guided surgery or military closed hatch driving applications, designers aim for end-to-end latency of 85 ms or less.

Learn how by Implementing Connectors and Power Bus Systems. Today’s manufacturers are making the switch from hardwiring to connectors in applications such as power distribution, machine connectivity, and motor control. Choosing connectors over hardwiring produces significant cost and time savings as well as increases automation system reliability. Read this white paper to learn about the design, integration and installation considerations to help you determine if a connector solution is right for your application.

How have Japan’s 4 most prominent SMT brands addressed the challenges of an ultra-competitive industry? Find out in Best Practices for Real-Time Machine Automation Performance in IoT & Industry 4.0.