Latest News

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    SICK Invests in Industrial AI for Automation – Innovative Strength & Cost Management Secure Profitability in Challenging Business Year 2024

    Innovation, customer focus and active cost management: SICK, an international provider of sensor-based automation solutions headquartered in Germany, set these focus points and achieved a solid result in the challenging business year 2024. Sales and EBIT decreased, while investments in research and development remained high. In a difficult market environment, SICK performed robustly and was able to further expand its position for Industrial AI on the global automation market. The 2024 financial year was marked by a difficult industrial economic development. Ongoing local crises and geopolitical uncertainties, protectionist measures and the threat of higher import tariffs put the industry under pressure. The global automation market also developed slowly and the anticipated recovery in mid-2024 failed to materialize.

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    ATS: Using Criticality Analysis to Optimize Your Operations

    Your products will come out on top, of course, but the machinery and equipment that ensure their production and quality are likely to be a close second. Conducting a criticality analysis is largely about prioritizing and focusing time and effort on the capital equipment assets you’ve determined to be the most important in your operation. When they become damaged or unavailable, they will have a greater degree of severity on your production. The criticality of an asset is determined by different factors, including its impact on product quality and ability to cause long-term disruptions. Obsolescence risks also play a crucial role, as outdated or unsupported equipment can increase downtime and create maintenance challenges, further impacting operational efficiency. Critical assets are integral to the whole operation, from entire machines all the way down to the component level. If these assets are not functioning or accessible, they pose different risks to the integrity of the operation.

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    Powering Up: How Canadian Innovation is Changing Motor Control

    SmartD Technologies is a Canadian startup company that has created what they say is the world’s first clean power VFD. Industries around the world stand to benefit from their clean sine technology, which eliminates the negative effects of harmonics and pulse-width modulation found in traditional systems. Simon Leblond, CEO and co-founder of SmartD Technologies, discusses how they are navigating the evolving geopolitical environment to manufacture and deliver their product. SmartD’s clean power VFD uses silicon carbide (SiC) chips. These groundbreaking materials offer faster switching speeds and lower energy losses than conventional semiconductors. SmartD’s VFDs generate a clean sine wave both on the grid and the load side, eliminating the destructive effects of harmonics on the motors and ancillary equipment. This revolution in motor control with a global impact is proudly a Canadian innovation.

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    OMRON: How Predictive Maintenance Technology is Improving Machine Monitoring

    Predictive maintenance is changing the way industries manage their equipment. Unlike traditional maintenance methods, which rely on fixed schedules, predictive maintenance uses real-time monitoring to detect potential issues early. This proactive approach reduces the likelihood of unexpected downtime and ensures that maintenance activities are performed only when necessary, optimizing resource allocation and reducing costs. One of the key advantages of predictive maintenance is the consistency and reliability of its data-driven approach. Real-time data is available for everyone to read and act upon, minimizing the variability that can arise from individual expertise. This ensures that maintenance decisions are based on accurate and up-to-date information, leading to more consistent and reliable operations. This not only frees up skilled labor for more critical tasks but also reduces overall maintenance costs. By automating the monitoring process, factories can achieve more efficient operations, ultimately improving their bottom line.

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    EtherCAT Reaches 88 Million Nodes – Strong Growth Despite Difficult Market Conditions

    EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) now reports around 88 million EtherCAT nodes worldwide and even if the pace of growth in recent years could not be maintained due to the current global economic climate and the after-effects of chip overstocking, the result is impressive: another 11 million EtherCAT nodes were added in 2024 – an outstanding result in a challenging business environment. These node figures are very reliable as they are based on actual chip sales, which are reported by the chip manufacturers to Beckhoff Automation, the inventor of EtherCAT technology. “And they have no interest in exaggerating these figures, as this would entail additional costs for them,” explains Martin Rostan, Executive Director of the EtherCAT Technology Group. With EtherCAT, the technology license is included directly in the chip, so there are no additional license fees for device manufacturers and users. Beckhoff uses the license revenue to finance the activities of the EtherCAT Technology Group and thus the ecosystem surrounding the technology.

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    Siemens: Machine Builders – Unlocking New Business Opportunities with Siemens Industrial Edge

    In today’s competitive landscape, machine builders face increasing pressure from low-cost providers and the need to innovate continuously. Siemens Industrial Edge offers a transformative solution, enabling machine builders to enhance their offerings, optimize operations, and create new revenue streams through digital services. Digital services are crucial for machine builders to stay competitive. They provide opportunities to differentiate from global competitors, save internal resources, and increase customer loyalty by offering enhanced knowledge and services.

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    Rockwell Automation: Why Integrated Architecture Can Be Your One Plant-Wide Control System – 3-Part Webinar Series

    This 3-part webinar series will consist of topics highlighting some of the major value propositions of integrated architecture from Rockwell Automation. The first will focus on the value of unifying process and power control. It will show how leveraging information across disciplines typically controlled by different islands of automation reduces risk, lowers costs, and empowers faster and better business decisions. The series will look to highlight the value of integrated architecture scalability, simplification and productivity.  Attendees will also learn about the latest developments in Logix, as well as the latest developments in our visualization platforms. In totality, these webinars will highlight why consideration of an integrated architecture as your plantwide control system offers unique value, cost savings and productivity enhancements.

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    Proax: Prevent Costly Downtime – The Critical Importance of Removing Water from Your Factory Air

    At Proax, they understand that unexpected downtime can devastate your production schedule and bottom line. As a reliable distributor of SMC pneumatic solutions, they have seen firsthand how one often-overlooked culprit—water in compressed air systems—can silently undermine your operation’s efficiency. While many manufacturers focus on removing oil and particulate contaminants through standard filtration, water vapor presents a more insidious challenge. A standard 100 hp compressor operating in typical conditions (86°F, 80% relative humidity, 100 psi) can produce a staggering 30 gallons of condensate during a single eight-hour shift.

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    Hammond Manufacturing: Canada’s Colocation Data Center Market

    Canada’s data center colocation market is experiencing rapid expansion, fueled by increasing demand for digital infrastructure, data sovereignty concerns, and the rise of cloud computing. As enterprises and hyperscale providers seek scalable, efficient, and secure solutions, colocation facilities in Canada are evolving to meet the growing needs of businesses while prioritizing innovation and sustainability. Organizations across industries are rapidly adopting cloud computing, AI-driven applications, and big data analytics. This digital transformation necessitates robust data center infrastructure, driving enterprises to seek colocation services that offer reliability, scalability, and connectivity.

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    HELUKABEL: Demonstrating HELUCHAIN MULTISPEED Offerings at Hannover Messe

    At Hannover Messe 2025, the HELUKABEL Group is presenting electrical connection technology from a single source. From March 31st to April 4th, they are exhibiting their continuously growing portfolio of reliable power and data transmission solutions – for the first time in hall 9 at stand H55. HELUKABEL’s portfolio includes cables and wires, high-quality drag chains and drag chain systems, and complete, pre-assembled, and installation-ready system modules.

    At their stand, they will be presenting various products including drag chain cables from the HELUCHAIN MULTISPEED series, which are specifically designed for the high mechanical loads of drag chains. In order to cover the largest spectrum of applications, HELUKABEL offers MULTISPEED cables as a modular system in a number of diameters and with different plastic qualities including robust and abrasion-resistant TPE, bend-resistant PUR, and cost-effective and versatile PVC. With this selection, customers can find the optimal cable for every application and for every budget. The HELUCHAIN MULTISPEED series includes control and connection cables, single-conductor cables, as well as data cables.

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    Rockwell Automation: Optimizing Food & Beverage Production Webinar – April 9, 2025

    Rising costs, shifting consumer demands, and production complexity are putting unprecedented pressure on food and beverage manufacturers. Many companies still rely on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) as their primary performance indicator, yet this traditional approach often fails to provide the depth of insight needed to drive real production improvements. In this webinar, Rockwell will introduce an evolved approach to yield optimization — one that goes beyond OEE to deliver a more holistic yet detailed view of plant operations. By leveraging data more effectively and integrating advanced technologies, you’ll understand how leading companies are able to pinpoint root causes of inefficiencies, minimize losses, and lay a foundation for future AI/ML-driven productivity.

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    Littelfuse: Solid-State Industrial Relays Quality Test Report

    Solid-State Relays (SSRs) are a critical component in modern electrical & electronic systems, providing reliable switching capabilities for various applications from industrial automation to consumer electronics. When it comes to choosing the right solid-state relay for your application, it’s important to know the quality of the product you are purchasing. There are many low-cost products on the market and choosing based on cost instead of quality can be a costly mistake. Low-cost SSRs are often made by low-quality manufacturers who do not follow the strict standards and requirements and are not subjected to the rigorous testing and certification process. There are even many counterfeit SSRs on the market that claim to have the same specifications and performance as the quality brands. This report will explain the risks of choosing a low-quality SSR and share the test results of the Littelfuse products compared to two other suppliers.

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    Hannover Messe 2025: Partner Country Canada

    Canada is leading the way toward a brighter future. With expertise in fields like artificial intelligence, quantum, electric vehicles, advanced materials, clean energy, automation and robotics, Canadians are developing solutions that will shape a more sustainable world. Advanced manufacturing capabilities and world-leading research compliment Canada’s traditional strengths in natural resources. As the exclusive partner country for Hannover Messe, Canada is showcasing 220 of its brightest companies and research organizations in automation, digital transformation, alternative energy, hydrogen, and green technologies. See how Canada is shaping the future.

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    ABB Medium Voltage Circuit Breakers & Enclosures Now cUL Certified

    ABB medium voltage (MV) circuit breakers and enclosures recently received cUL certification from the standards organization, Underwriters Laboratories of Canada, providing additional assurance that these products are tailored to the stringent requirements of the Canadian market. This certification also validates their reliability and performance under exacting conditions, streamlines approval processes with regulators and facilitates installation and commissioning.

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    Rockwell Automation: Keep Chemical Processes in Control with an Integrated Architecture

    Today’s innovative smart technologies – such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, edge computing and digital twins – are driving manufacturers to digitally transform their operations. Chemical manufacturers face a similar technological change as they address various challenges, including aging legacy systems, economic uncertainty, tightening regulatory requirements, varying feedstock and energy costs, safety and environmental incidents, unplanned downtime, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, workforce skills shortage and supply chain disruptions. With the growing emphasis on sustainability and decarbonization, chemical companies are now seeking to invest in renewable energy sources and initiatives that support a circular economy. These challenges highlight the chemical industry’s…

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    ATS: Optimize Your Parts Inventory to Reduce Obsolescence Risk

    In the fast-paced world of manufacturing, unplanned downtime is a significant drain on resources and operational performance, leading to substantial production losses. Obsolescence risk is inevitable and occurs in new and old equipment. Your operation is at high risk for downtime when an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) decides to no longer produce a critical part required to run your production line and there is no available inventory of that part or plan to replace it. Proactive maintenance practices such as planned preventive maintenance (PPM) can go a long way toward reducing the occurrence of unplanned downtime events. However, when these events involve obsolete parts that are difficult to source or replace, the disruption is often prolonged. This is why a strong inventory management program and budget is imperative to manage obsolescence risk. Otherwise, the financial impact of downtime events can be catastrophic.