Control Intelligence

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore explains the history of RS-232 and its role in industrial manufacturing.

Founded in 1985, Advanced Micro Controls is a U.S.-based manufacturer with a global presence. AMCI industrial control products are designed for PLC-based automation systems with specialized position sensing and motion control technology. Matthew Tellier has been with the company for nearly 30 years, starting off as an applications engineer. He earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Unive...

Mike Bacidore explains how VFDs compare to motor starter, inverter or variable-speed drives in this episode of Control Intelligence.

Mike Bacidore discusses the basics, uses and functionality of servo motors.

Editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses the history behind the PLC and its applications.

New England is a hotbed of growth, from turning live cells into tissue and organs to turning apples into hard-cider blends.

Digital transformation can enable sustainability when done in an environmentally responsible way. Responsible digital transformation can be achieved through digital technologies that support resource efficiency — such as energy, water, raw materials and reduced waste; to support data-driven decisions that promote sustainability; to support remote access and collaboration, which reduces the need fo...

Uninterruptible power supplies are common devices found in almost every enclosure to protect against outages or disruptions. The uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can vary in input or output ranges, and a fundamental choice between alternating current (ac) and direct current (dc) needs to be made. Emerson’s UPS knowledge and offerings span the spectrum from mounting suggestions to communication o...

Two decades after its introduction, machine safety technology keeps getting more interesting. Safety in a machine-control context was born in 1996 with the EN 954-1 standard allowing only relay logic or simple electronics. Although process industries have widely used programable safety controllers since the 1980s, it wasn’t until 2002 that NFPA 79 finally allowed for programmable safety controller...

WESCO builds, connects, powers and protects the world. Delivering ingenuity and expertise to approximately 150,000 customers worldwide, WESCO helps businesses run smoothly by providing solutions that can increase profitability, improve productivity and mitigate risk. With nearly 1.5 million products and locations in more than 50 countries, WESCO delivers what companies need when they need it.

AUTOMATION Studio is the bread and butter of software development at B&R. All B&R hardware is programmed with this integrated development environment. The mechanisms for compiling, creating installation packages and deploying the software are usable outside of Automation Studio itself (i.e., via the command line). Also, the source files within the Automation Studio project are stored in plain text...

Mike Bacidore is joined by Jim Stevens, encoder product specialist, Posital Fraba.

While many facilities have started to move some components out of the cabinet and onto the production line, many are still kept in the cabinet. For those that are in the cabinet, ensuring that panel design encourages component cooling and safety are still essential. In this episode, Control Design Editor in Chief Mike Bacidore speaks with Omron Automation's Matt Mohr about the ins and outs of encl...

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in chief Mike Bacidore talks to Daymon Thompson, senior software product manager at Beckhoff USA. They talk about how machine builders can get off on the right foot in the IoT journey, and how analytics can establish compelling competitive advantages to optimize machine efficiency, and even to create new revenue streams. Learn more about Beckhoff USA...

Many pieces of the control system require dc power in order to operate. A power supply failure for a critical process controller or device can lead to an unplanned shutdown of critical plant equipment or processes. Without critical event visibility, plants don't have the necessary tools to troubleshoot issues before they become catastrophic. Fortunately, there are solutions to these problems. Now,...

In this episode, editor in chief Mike Bacidore is joined by Derrick Stacey, global product manager for ACOPOS 6D and SuperTrak Product families at B&R Industrial Automation, to talk about transport and process functions, as well as the distinctions between a platform and a group of products. Learn more about B&R Industrial Automation: https://www.br-automation.com/en-us/ Read the transcript: https...

Some manufacturers believe IT departments can protect their infrastructures, but what happens when that fails or a saboteur is able to bypass the surrounding network and connect directly to the automation system? In this episode, editor in chief Mike Bacidore is joined by Luis Narvaez, who is the product marketing manager for industrial security at Siemens Digital Industries, U.S.A, to discuss net...

The Fourth Industrial Revolution with its digitalization and networking of machines has been changing our lives for some time. In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in chief Mike Bacidore talks machine data and digitalization, as well as remote monitoring, analysis and diagnostics with Divya Prakash, director of business consulting, Industry 4.0, at SICK Sensor Intelligence. Learn more a...

From batch-size-one production to the implementation of algorithmic intelligence, editor in Chief Mike Bacidore and Mike Chen, senior director of solutions and technology development at  Omron Automation , discuss the ways that integrated, intelligent and interactive technologies are impacting automation implementation for today's manufacturers in this new episode of Control Intelligence: The podc...

The use of robotics in factories continues to proliferates, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic showcased the benefits of digital technologies. In this episode of Control Intelligence: The podcast from Control Design, editor in chief Mike Bacidore speaks with Omron Automation’s Alex Bonaire about how robotics controllers and software solutions are being implemented today. Learn more about Omron...

The warehouse and distribution center sector has seen an uptick in automation implementation. In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in chief Mike Bacidore is joined by Mike Milligan, industry segment manager, warehouse automation, Misumi, to discuss automation solutions that are being implemented in these environments. Learn more about Misumi: https://us.misumi-ec.com/ Read the transcrip...

Anna Townshend, managing editor of Control Design, discusses today's motion technology trends with ANCA Motion's general manager Paul Bocchi. Bocchi explains how ANCA Motion is managing these trends in its product development as well as what they mean for the future of the automation industry. Learn more about ANCA Motion: https://motion.anca.com/ Read the transcript: https://www.controldesign.com...

In 2017, Austin Park had received a bachelor of science (BS) in electrical engineering from UCLA and was beginning his master's degree at Stanford University, where he was accepted into the masters of science (MS) program in energy resources engineering. He was also the recipient of Acopian Power Supplies' first-ever scholarship  the same year. In this episode of Control Intelligence, digital enga...

Editor in Chief Mike Bacidore and Dave Emory, director of end user sales at B&R Industrial Automation discuss adaptive machines, the future of machine control automation and B&R's ACOPOS 6D. Learn more about B&R Industrial Automation: https://www.br-automation.com/en-us/   Read the transcript: https://www.controldesign.com/podcasts/control-intelligence/solutions-spotlight-the-evolution-of-acopos  

Jeff Johnson, mechatronics product manager at Beckhoff Automation , joins managing editor Anna Townshend to discuss the company's XPlanar technology, how it differs rom traditional designs and how it applies to a variety of applications. Read the transcript: https://www.controldesign.com/podcasts/control-intelligence/a-look-at-beckhoffs-xplanar-motor-system