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RSTechED Provides Tools to Navigate Economic Headwinds
Tech sessions, customer panelists studies and speakers focus on helping manufacturers to improve production efficiencies based on sustainability and delivering business data to plant-floor operators.
This year’s Rockwell Software RSTechED conference was designed to give attendees the tools and information they need to navigate the current business climate. Hosted by Rockwell Automation, the weeklong user and partner event focused on sustainable production and visualization. More than 1,100 attendees gathered for the 12th annual event June 21-26 in Orlando.
Participants attended more than 120 executive speaker presentations, technical sessions, hands-on labs, special-interest group discussions and customer panels, all focused on leveraging information to improve business results.
"Manufacturers today need to optimize productivity by making high-value improvements that boost both profitability and sustainability," said Ralph Carter, president of Rockwell Software. "Achieving these goals effectively requires significantly more reliable and available data, put into context, than in the past."
Watch Carter’s full presentation at www.rsteched.com.
Executives Power up the Enterprise
In today’s business climate, organizations are looking for investments that will demonstrate real quantifiable results — fast. During the Manufacturing 2.0 Executive Forum held in conjunction with RSTechED, renowned Harvard Business School manufacturing professor and “Enterprise 2.0” author Andrew McAfee provided insight on the impact of IT on the structure and performance of businesses.
In addition, senior executives and managers from dozens of companies met to learn about driving immediate cost savings and improving business performance through technology.
Attendees heard from industry leaders during a series of customer panels that addressed key industry issues, such as the latest cost-saving trends in the industry; strategies in supply-chain efficiencies; improving decision-making; tracking, tracing and compliance trends; and best practices in sustainability.
These sessions provided insight on how top companies are drawing value from IT-driven manufacturing and leveraging technology initiatives to demonstrate real results quickly.
Growth to the FactoryTalk Suite
Rockwell Automation announced the addition of process device configuration using Field Device Tool (FDT) technology to its FactoryTalk® AssetCentre asset management software. Process device configuration helps process manufacturers increase instrumentation reliability and simplifies regulatory reporting compliance efforts. The capabilities also help improve product quality in applications where conditions are tied directly to process parameters, such as temperature, pressure or flow.
Major Companies Share Past Experiences, Future Insights
Mike "Rizzo" Eruzione, captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that beat the odds to win the gold medal in Lake Placid, N.Y., headlined the event as a keynote speaker at RSTechED on Monday. During his inspirational session, “Going for the Gold,” Eruzione shared his personal experience overcoming obstacles and gave advice on how to become a champion.
A highlight for many RSTechED attendees was the opportunity to attend two-hour customer panel discussions addressing the latest technology trends. Panelists from Colorado Springs, The Hershey Company and Newnes-McGehee shared their thoughts and experiences related to cutting-edge human-machine interface (HMI) solutions.
Also, reps from Barber Foods, Nestle and General Mills discussed best practices for manufacturing data collection and reporting.
Meanwhile, panelists from Alcoa, Genzyme Biosurgery, Georgia Tech and Wyeth engaged in lively discussion about historical data collection and tracking.
For more information about RSTechEd, visit www.rsteched.com. To learn more about Rockwell Software, visit www.rockwellautomation.com/go/tjrs.