A graphical representation of the machine or process in operation can help with operator understanding. But too much information can be dangerous, too. Tell us where is the line.

Read our articles"Touchscreen Advantages-Part II" and "Touchscreens Show Off Advantages"

What mix of face time plus e-tool-enabled collaboration makes the most effective combination?

What’s the best way to gain market share? By investing during a downturn. Beckhoff Automation is doing just that in a number of ways.

First, they substantially increased the size of their booth at the recent Hanover Fair in Germany. Second, they continue to support their relatively expensive direct sales model in the U.S. because they believe it provides superior service to their clients. Third, they just completed a multi-city tour in the U.S. to educate existing and perspective customers on their products and services.  read more »

The ISA100 Standards Committee on Wireless Systems for Automation has approved industry standard, ISA100.11a, Wireless Systems for Industrial Automation: Process Control and Related Applications. The approval, by 81% of the voting members of the committee including 23 of the 24 end-user members, follows two rounds of balloting and refinements to the document to reflect the excellent suggestions received from many interested parties.  read more »

Steve Gunnerson, president of Nautilus Systems, sent a message about Jeremy Pollard's Embedded Intelligence column, “Lead the Horses to Water.”  read more »

When times are tough, companies cut back on everything from salaries to travel to new product investment. Is your company cutting back? If so, how? Do you see light at the end of the tunnel, or are these cutbacks in place for the foreseeable future?

Over the past decade, PC-based controls and dedicated controllers have had their comparative advantages and disadvantages scrutinized. We recently surveyed our readers, asking who has switched control preferences of late, and contrary to what some might have expected, our report indicates that the biggest change - almost one-third - as been from PLC to PAC, defined by most of those same respondents as a hybrid controller with PLC and PC capabilities that integrates motion and data acquisition with control and monitoring. And yet a select few - almost 8% - admitted changing platforms to PC.  read more »

As a machine builder, how do you use remote diagnostics to control and monitor your machines from afar? What are the technical limitations, if any, that are holding you back? Are your customers willing to pay for remote monitoring, or do you use it mostly to reduce your costs?

Contact me at dhebert@putman.net and let me know how you feel about remote diagnositcs.

Here's a topical press release we just received from Northwire. Can you relate?

Cable Fables

Confusion and Misconceptions about NFPA-79

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In these tough economic times, machine builder nation is actively seeking out new and often non-traditional markets. One area where public and private money is being spent, and where machine builders and their suppliers have related experience, is hydraulic hybrid vehicles.

After all, who knows more about applying and controlling hydraulic power than machine builders? And hydraulic hybrids have some compelling advantages over electric hybrids that just might allow them to win the race for the best technology.  read more »