Automation World Gets Your Questions Answered

How to Choose Multi-Axis Electric Motion Control Technology

In this podcast featuring Anthony Leo of Norgren, we discuss how multi-axis electric motion control differs from general electric and pneumatic motion control, its suitability for hazardous environments, as well as its speed, accuracy and distance characteristics.

Do Collaborative Robots Need Safety Risk Assessments?

Collaborative robots are known for their ability to operate safely near humans, but their operation should be assessed just like any other piece of automated industrial equipment. Listen to this discussion with Devin Murray of Schmersal USA's technical engineering services division—tec.nicum—to learn about the specific safety standards related to cobots, safety hazards that are common or overlooked with cobots and how to ensure safe cobot operations in your facility.

Industry Update: Pack Expo 2023

Hear about some of the biggest automation news to come out of Pack Expo 2023 in Las Vegas, including new industrial cameras, lighting from Beckhoff, the integration of multiple automation technologies in Emerson's Floor to Cloud system and Weidmüller's new u-OS open operating system for device maintenance and application integration.

Are Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Control Connected?

Find out how analytics technologies, such as Model Predictive Control (MPC), are impacting production operations, not just in the continuous processing industries, but discrete manufacturing as well. In this discussion with Bruce Slusser with system integrator Avanceon, we discuss how MPC can be integrated into digital transformation initiatives, the impact of artificial intelligence on MPC and the key elements manufacturers need to have in place to use effectively use MPC.

What is High-Performance HMI?

Find out the difference between traditional and high-performance HMI screen styles, as well as which type manufacturers tend to use most and how difficult it is to switch from one version to another in this episode featuring Travis Cox of Inductive Automation.

Is AI-Powered Vision Beneficial to Manufacturing?

Artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere these days, but it’s been a part of machine vision technology for years now. Given those years of use and the growth of new capabilities in AI, what’s the outlook for AI machine vision use in manufacturing. In this podcast discussion with Kevin McCabe of IDS Imaging Development Systems, we look at how AI enables vision system use in quality control, the connection between machine vision AI and large language models such as ChatGPT, and how to begin exploring use of AI-powered machine vision in your operations.

Levitating Transport Systems

In this episode we connect with Kristen Ballistrea of B&R Industrial Automation to learn about B&R's Acopos 6D levitating transport system. This transportation system uses levitating shuttles to move materials and parts between various production systems for applications ranging from assembly to packaging. 

Connectivity Trends for Automation Devices

In this discussion with Nazario Biala of Harting, we address how industry’s digital transformation is impacting the design of automation devices and connector functionalities required to support Industrial Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 initiatives.

Why Use Guide Wheels in Linear Motion Systems?

In this episode, we connect with Brian Burke of Bishop-Wisecarver  to learn why guide wheels are often used as a component of  linear motion systems in automated machinery and why they're considered critical to the dependability of such systems, especially in harsh environments.

Understanding Equipment Failures and How to Respond

In this episode, we connect with Stephen Lacey of Belden to learn about the high costs of reactive maintenance and how moving to more proactive—and even predictive—maintenance can be achieved without major investments and executed in small, easily incorporated steps.