PC-based control for waterjets I&C July 2024, Beckhoff Automation Control systems are subject to very specific demands from every form of production technology, including waterjet cutting. IGEMS from Sweden set itself the goal of taking this process to a new level in terms of precision and speed, and achieved it with the help of PC-based control.
Case History 193: The big dipper. I&C July 2024, Michael Brown Control Engineering This article gives an example of an important flow control system for flare gas in a petrochemical refinery. The control was suffering from serious problems, often cycling severely, and at other times the flow process variable (PV) would suddenly move quite a lot away from the setpoint (SP).
Edge computing: Introducing AI into the factory I&C July 2024, IT in Manufacturing As AI evolves, it is evident that the most powerful models will be cloud-based, and hosted in data centres that are beyond the control of the average business. The practical application of AI in manufacturing control and automation will only be possible if some of the computing workloads can be brought onto the plant, inside the firewall and inside the plant network.
36 years of innovation and success I&C July 2024, SAM Systems Automation & Management , System Integration & Control Systems Design Systems Automation & Management was established in 1988 at a time when there were no other systems integrators (SIs) in the process business. SA Instrumentation & Control’s editor caught up with managing director, Claudio Agostinetto to find out more about how this thriving company has prospered over the last 36 years.
The world’s greatest model railway June 2024, Horne Technologies, Motion Control & Drives Located in Hamburg’s traditional warehouse district, Speicherstadt features the largest model railway in the world, and is one of the most exciting tourist attractions in Germany.
Loop signature 23: Tuning part 1. June 2024, Michael Brown Control Engineering This is the first of several articles dealing with the subject of tuning. I have found that many people think that optimisation consists solely of tuning. I would stress once again that tuning is the last thing one should do when optimising regulatory controls.
Plastics meets packaging for consistent and efficient process control June 2024, Beckhoff Automation PC- based and EtherCAT-based control and drive technology from Beckhoff represent a universal solution that transcends industry and application boundaries. This standardised and scalable automation platform offers numerous advantages. Industry experts delve into how machine builders and end users in the plastics and packaging industry can capitalise on these advantages.
Continuous corrosion resistance June 2024, ifm - South Africa, Sensors & Transducers The polypropylene version of ifm’s LDL400 conductivity sensor is based on the proven LDL200 inductive conductivity sensor. Its material properties make it the ideal choice for applications in which metallic sensors tend to corrode.
Control architecture leads to faster, easier product development for refrigeration May 2024, Opto Africa Automation, IT in Manufacturing What’s the secret to providing superior service and staying competitive in a changing market? You might learn something from ALTA Refrigeration’s experience. Over ten years, it transformed itself from a custom engineering services company into a scalable industrial equipment manufacturer, using an edge-oriented control architecture to manage a growing installed base.
Step into the visual factory May 2024, Turck Banner Southern Africa, Electrical Power & Protection At Banner, the visual factory comprises three key applications for lighting and indication in industrial settings. These applications include the ability to help machines and workstations quickly communicate their status to people nearby, to use light to guide workers to perform certain tasks such as part picking, and to provide illumination for work areas and tasks.
Quality gearboxes for irrigation May 2024, SEW-Eurodrive, Motion Control & Drives SEW-EURODRIVE is offering a complete gear solution for centre pivot irrigation systems as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) closer to South Africa’s farming sector.
AI in manufacturing: a process engineer’s perspective May 2024, IT in Manufacturing The expert will tell you what to do, the philosopher will tell you why to do it, and the engineer will get on and actually do it. As the hype around AI intensifies, the number of ‘experts’ is increasing exponentially. In contrast, the number of engineers who actually know how to implement AI technology remains small.
Loop signature 22: How cyclical disturbances affect a control loop April 2024, Michael Brown Control Engineering When tuning noisy loops, we recommend in our courses that one should eliminate the noise by editing it out, so the tuning will be done only on the true process response, free of any noise. The controller is controlling the process, and is not controlling the noise.
High-performance motion control for teabag packaging machine April 2024, Beckhoff Automation Teepak relies on PC-based control and drive technology from Beckhoff to set new benchmarks for speed and precision in its teabag packaging machines.
VEGA takes the pressure out of water pressure measurement April 2024, VEGA Controls SA Water treatment systems in metropolitan areas require careful monitoring and management processes across widespread networks. However, process plants choosing VEGA for their process automation know that the company offers more than just precise and reliable pressure sensors and instrumentation.
Bringing Industry 4.0 to a castings foundry for heavy industries March 2024 Moving to Industry 4.0 takes time and determination, especially for an established company in a heavy industry. Castings foundry, POK in Mexico has moved toward Industry 4.0 in a series of steps over several years, changing from manual to automated systems for more available, immediate and reliable data.
SMOM – the future is here now March 2024, Iritron , IT in Manufacturing In his presentation at the recent MESA Africa conference, Neels van der Walt, business development manager at Iritron, revealed the all-encompassing concept of smart mining operations management (SMOM), and why it is inextricably linked to the future of worldwide mining operations.
Navigating disruption in manufacturing March 2024, IT in Manufacturing When considering IT in manufacturing, the underlying assumption is twofold: first, a wave of valuable maturing technologies can be harnessed to create new business value, and second, the environment in which these technologies will be applied will be relatively predictable, with change following a manageable, evolutionary path. However, recent disruptions have shattered these assumptions.
