When is the best time for downtime? For most, the answer is, “No time is a good time.” The real question becomes, how long can your aging DCS limp along before an upgrade is unavoidable?Today’s pulp and paper mills operate under constant pressure to reduce production costs and increase yields. “If it isn’t broken (yet), don’t fix it,” is a risky approach and with any legacy system, and especially a DCS that has seen more productive days.
The frost is in the air, you can see your breath as you step out onto Michigan Avenue and see the glowing holiday decorations. Yet, surrounded by the allure of the fall colors in Chicago, one thing remains top of mind for professionals in the automation industry – Automation Fair.
Plant managers and technicians have their hands full – not only are they responsible for ensuring day-to-day operations are status quo, they are also tasked with helping to increase production and revenue. So when problems come up, as they inevitably do, there’s nothing like knowing you’ve got back-up at the ready, 24-7.
EPLAN, PILZ, Rittal and WAGO, four companies in automation and advanced manufacturing, based in Canada with their headquarters in Germany, are hosting Canada’s inaugural German Technology Days. Each company will share their latest industry-leading, energy-efficient solutions, and introduce you to some of the most innovative technology in the industry!
Wouldn’t it be nice to know when the devices in your home are on their last legs, so you could fix or replace them before they break? Just imagine how much better life would be. No more air conditioner breakdowns in the dog days of summer. No more unusable dishwashers on busy weeknights. No more computer crashes before you can back up your family photos and personal files.
As a company that regularly conducts thorough machine safety risk assessments, we’re passionate about making sure our customers are fully aware of the regulations and best practices that are essential for keeping their teams safe. That’s why we decided to create a post around the most common safety violations we find during our assessments.
If not properly safeguarded, machine shop equipment is capable of seriously injuring an operator. Lathes, band saws and other simple machines can cut or even sever a finger or a limb. Due to the major potential for harm, it’s essential for manufacturers to comply with all mandated safety standards for the types of machines they employ.
You’ve been through it before. Just days away from a scheduled plant or platform launch and you’re scrambling to connect OEM skids and at risk of missing your launch deadline. Almost every oil and gas company has experienced the chaos that comes with trying to finish a start-up in its final days. The good news – this doesn’t have to be your status quo.
Installation without a control cabinet makes sense anywhere where equipment or drives have to be supplied with energy, or signals have to be transmitted and processed, over long distances. It is particularly suited to large machines and systems and can be used anywhere where cabling from the central control cabinet to the field can sensibly be replaced with power bus solutions and fieldbus communication.
Chad Alexander is a Branch Manager with Contact Automation, which provides automation integration and control services for the Oil & Gas industry throughout Western Canada and Northwestern United States.
Rob Milner is the Canadian National Science, Automation, Optical Gas Imaging & sUAS Manager for FLIR. Rob took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss his career and provide some insight on the industry with Panel Builder & Systems Integrator.
The scenario: A high-speed printing company had partially completed an upgrade to their equipment. The printing machine used two alternating print heads to produce units at a rate of more than 11/s. Due to the nature of the product, speed, accuracy, and repeatability were extremely important. The process needed to be consistent as any defect would impact production further down the line.
The scenario: A large international dairy producer was expanding a local butter production and packaging facility as part of an effort to increase throughput, consolidate the packaging process, reduce costs, and improve worker health and safety.
Increasing consumer demands, razor thin margins, and a rapidly changing landscape mean manufacturers are under more pressure than ever before. As competition increases, companies are searching for ways to become more agile, flexible, and efficient in order to not only survive, but thrive in the coming decade.
Both radio-frequency identification (RFID) and barcode reading are excellent options for traceability, and it can be difficult to choose between the two if you’re not fully aware of their relative advantages. To help you make an educated decision, we decided to put together a quick questionnaire on the topic.
It’s never been a better time to be a consumer, especially when it comes to food and beverage options. Do you want organic, locally sourced, craft made, single serving, gluten free? The choices are endless, making you a happy consumer, and at the same time, a frustrated producer.
This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada.
