Blog
Keep Up-To-Date With What Is Happening In Your Industry
Our Blogs provide our employees and guest bloggers the chance to keep you up-to-date with what is happening in your industry and can provide you with an insight into the latest technology trends.
Disruptive Technology Expands Career Options
8 August 2018
Internships in artificial intelligence and machine learning complement college studies to prepare students for careers in IIoT.
The New Security Norm in OT
1 August 2018
As technology and connectivity advance, industrial control system engineers face new security issues.
Create Smarter Electrical Control Systems
30 July 2018
System integrators can bring more intelligence to electrical control systems with intelligent packaged power.
Visualization Technologies Help Run Safe Processes
23 July 2018
Visualization technologies — mixed reality, virtual and augmented reality — can enhance worker capabilities and create safer, more productive processes.
On the Move to Flexible Medical Device Production
16 July 2018
More OEMs are choosing independent cart technology to deliver flexible, high volume machines for the disposable medical device market. The results are impressive.
Reduce Variability to Improve Capacity and Quality
9 July 2018
Prescriptive analytics can produce immediate ROI. Model Predictive Control stabilizes your processes and gets you closer to your targets.
Get More From Your Electrical Control System
27 June 2018
Unifying your electrical and process control systems into one digital infrastructure can give you greater plant-wide visibility and boost productivity.
In Response To Robots
25 June 2018
Productivity improvements through technology advances will not result in the demise of manufacturing jobs. Quite the opposite.
Protect Yourself With Good Cyber Hygiene Practices
22 June 2018
For all the benefits that smart manufacturing can offer, it also requires a more comprehensive approach to security. Start with these three basic steps.
Digital Representations Drive Bottom-Line Results
18 June 2018
The two foundations of a digital transformation — the digital twin and the digital thread — offer new ways to trial practices, processes, and product concepts in a virtual environment.
Is Your Machine Built for Thin Clients?
11 June 2018
More manufacturers are adopting a simpler centralized information management paradigm, and they expect machines to conform.
What Will Smart Factories Look Like in 20 Years?
8 June 2018
See how today’s new technologies will change how we design, manage and staff operations in a smart factory.
Learning From TÜV-Certified Machine Safety Experts
28 May 2018
TÜV Rheinland-certified machinery functional safety experts earn one of the most rigorous accreditations for industrial safety professionals. Hear tips from recently certified pros.
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Digital Representations a Roadmap for Improvement
25 May 2018
The digital twin and digital thread create a virtual foundation for experimentation and improvement within The Connected Enterprise.
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New Collaborations Solve New Problems
23 May 2018
Advances in technology and connectivity foster new levels of innovation and collaboration between industry and academia. The benefactors: our next-gen workforce.
A New Driving Force: Automotive “Electric Dreams”
16 May 2018
Market drivers and new technology are accelerating electric vehicle demand. To keep up, carmakers must adopt a more connected, data-intensive approach.
Make Skid Integration Smart from the Start
14 May 2018
Life sciences companies that rely on multiple OEMs can help mitigate skid integration challenges with upfront planning – and a modern DCS.
Digital Twins: Creating Smarter Products On Time
9 May 2018
To curb the increasing risks of advanced machine design, digital twins help engineers make informed design decisions that won’t break the budget.
Cutting Costs with Contactors
2 May 2018
Modern contactors are designed to offer cost savings that you should be considering when trying to cut cost for your panel.
How to Attack an Obsolescence Backlog
30 April 2018
Now mining companies can deploy strategies that bolster the reliability of existing equipment – and take cost-effective steps toward modernization.
Don’t Fear Disruption: Change Propels Industry
23 April 2018
Industrial disruptions are changing the way we do business. From big data to blockchain, the decisions you make now will influence your business success for years.
AI Can Improve Your Equipment Maintenance Strategy
18 April 2018
Pipeline companies around the world are already taking advantage of artificial intelligence to improve operations. Do you have the information you need to stay competitive?
Digitalizing the Enterprise for Security
16 April 2018
A digital transformation brings enhanced network and information security to manufacturers as well as performance improvements.
Stemming the Next Pandemic
11 April 2018
At the iBio plant in College Station, Texas, they are leveraging the Rockwell Automation PlantPAx DCS to make vaccine grade proteins from living plants.
Contain Security Threats With Network Segmentation
4 April 2018
An open and unsegmented network is a gift to cyber attackers. By using network segmentation, you can restrict their access and limit potential damage.
Collaborative Applications: What You Need to Know
2 April 2018
The way people and machinery interact in automotive plants is fundamentally changing. Collaborative technology makes functional safety more critical than ever.
Blockchain Can Transform Your Supply Chain
28 March 2018
Blockchain has the potential to transform the supply chain with a secure and unchangeable record that can be viewed and verified by every stakeholder, at any time.
Digitalizing the Enterprise
26 March 2018
Many manufacturers are using digitalization to improve their operations, tap into new sources of revenue and boost profitability.
Choosing the Right Vendor for Your Repair
21 March 2018
Consider these key things when deciding to repair your industrial automation equipment.
Converting Traditional Starters to Soft Starters
19 March 2018
Using soft starters can be an easy way to reduce waste in your operation by minimizing the time and expense associated with servicing the equipment.
Connectivity and Digitization Transform Mining
14 March 2018
Three insights into the future of mining based on broad market trends: data, analytics and safety and security.
Managing Energy Use in Pipeline Operations
7 March 2018
Energy is the largest operating cost for pipeline companies. Anything that can be done to reduce energy usage while maintaining throughput can directly impact your bottom line.
Holistic Approach for Power Plant Cyber Security
5 March 2018
Follow these three key considerations for a holistic approach to cyber security in your power generation systems.
Is Your Smart Machine Plug-and-Play?
28 February 2018
Smart machines help transform data into knowledge. For OEMs, easy machine integration is pivotal to success. Here’s what to consider before you start.
Chemical Producers: There’s a New Plant in Town
26 February 2018
By prioritizing investments around smarter technologies, a connected chemical plant can help you monitor and improve production performance.
Innovations Improve Drilling Efficiency
21 February 2018
Nabors Drilling is using Rockwell Automation technology to power innovative services, software and rigs.
Real-Time Insights Deliver Revolutionary Results
19 February 2018
Digital transformation is driving improved productivity, quality, compliance, and profitability for manufacturers.
The Key to Your Digital Transformation
14 February 2018
As IIoT continues to drive growth, successful power generation operations will need to reconsider information and control methodologies, worker training and technology implementation.
Does Your Company Value Diversity and Inclusion?
12 February 2018
When building your career, remember these three things: diversity and inclusion matter. Find leaders who listen (and act). Be patient and empathic.
STEM is Saving Lives
7 February 2018
STEM is changing, and saving, lives. Bringing together invention and production is giving people new hope.
Why Gender Balance in Industry Matters to Me
5 February 2018
Industry faces a big challenge to improve gender diversity. A challenge that leaders of industry must accept at a personal level, and companies at a company-culture level.
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Helping an Aging Facility Find New Life
31 January 2018
Aging systems at the Pettit National Ice Center meant skyrocketing energy costs. An upgrade would improve sustainability and ice conditions.
You Are as Strong as Your Weakest Link
29 January 2018
To fully realize the benefits of smart manufacturing we must harmonize standards. It’s how we will address both interoperability and cybersecurity.
Driving on the Edge
24 January 2018
Scalable analytics platform delivers insights tire manufacturers need to improve quality, performance and productivity – from the edge to the cloud.
Suffering from Data Overload? There’s a Cure
22 January 2018
Pharmaceutical plants generate a staggering amount of data. See how scalable analytics can cut through clutter to accelerate innovation and improve quality assurance.
Ten Worker Safety and Productivity Tips for 2018
10 January 2018
As we begin the new year, we’ve compiled a list of ten tips to help you improve safety and productivity.
Migrate or Modernize? How to Decide
8 January 2018
If your plant is aging, you have a choice: migrate specific equipment, or modernize to realize the value of new technologies.
Our Top 10 Most Popular Blog Posts in 2017
1 January 2018
Our most popular blogs in 2017 were about drives, Logix, sensors, smart manufacturing and our company’s culture of diversity and inclusion.
Get Smarter Automotive Manufacturing Faster
20 December 2017
Scalable analytics closes the loop between big data and the plant floor to speed the impact of smart devices.
Creating a Modernization Plan That Works for You
18 December 2017
Modernization can help companies increase output and productivity of their operations.
What’s Your Integration Strategy?
13 December 2017
To create a “facility of the future” that pays dividends for years to come, biotech companies must first take a close look at automation and integration strategies.
Proactive Maintenance Can Help Fuel Profitability
11 December 2017
Managing the maintenance tasks through specialized software and other tools can help reduce manual entry of device readings, and share vital information with other areas of production.
Design Your Safety System for Improved Uptime
6 December 2017
Improving your lockout procedures by just one minute can save you $2.8 million annually. Find out how.
Prevent Downtime With Just Your Voice
4 December 2017
Companies driven by fast-changing consumer demands soon won’t have a choice about connectivity; it will be essential to stay competitive.
The Safe, Connected Enterprise
27 November 2017
The Connected Enterprise helps manufacturers monitor and improve safety while boosting plant productivity.
Are You Measuring OEE?
22 November 2017
Are you procrastinating when it comes to modernization? You are risking lost opportunity for greater productivity.
What Does the IIoT Workforce Look Like?
13 November 2017
For the future workforce, the ability to gain knowledge will be more important than knowledge itself.
Three Ways You Can Save With Paperless Operation
10 November 2017
Modern MES can simplify quality challenges. Let’s take a look at how you can save in three areas: labor/people costs, quality/recall costs and downtime.
Are You an Employer of Choice in the Digital Era?
6 November 2017
Is your most vital asset, your staff, helping you enter the digital era? Here are three recommendations for becoming an employer of choice for tomorrow’s talent.
Modernize So You Can Know More – and Do More
30 October 2017
Over the next five years nearly a third of maintenance staff will retire. The next generation expects a dashboard experience. Are you prepared?
Is Your Safety System’s Lifecycle Healthy?
25 October 2017
Understanding and implementing a safety architecture, performance levels, integrity levels and reaction time calculations can improve the health of your safety system.
IIoT on the Plant Floor? There’s an App for That
23 October 2017
Take a look at how commercial apps are revolutionising teamwork in industry and how young workers needed to meet the skills gap are changing industry from the inside.
Better Safe (and Secure) Than Sorry
18 October 2017
The Connected Enterprise helps manufacturers minimize the potential for employee safety and business security problems while improving productivity.
Benefits of Soft Starters on Resistive Loads
9 October 2017
Learn how soft starters utilize the phase angle control on resistive loads.
Seven Steps to a Successful Digital Transformation
6 October 2017
Creating a connected enterprise requires extreme cohesion. The digital journey of our customer highlights seven steps key to successful digital transformation.
How are You Managing Stormwater Recovery?
4 October 2017
As cities grow, so does interest in better managing stormwater. Local governments need a plan for effectively capturing, storing, and treating stormwater.
Keep Industrial-Security Threats in Check
27 September 2017
Digitization and connectivity can transform pharma operations, but first require a robust industrial-security strategy.
Are You Sure it’s GMO-Free?
25 September 2017
Trends – like gluten- and GMO-free recipes – affect the entire supply chain and require food companies to re-examine processes around traceability.
Get in the IIoT Game with Current Equipment
20 September 2017
Manufacturers must keep equipment and automation current to leverage the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) as they build a Connected Enterprise.
Three Steps to Better WAGES Performance
15 September 2017
Companies can reap the benefits of digital transformation with a strategy that unifies energy and industrial process information to support world-class production.
4 Ways to Improve Pipeline Data Quality
13 September 2017
Too much data? Poor quality data? Here are four tips to help pipeline operators take data collection to the next level.
Greenfield Observations for Industry Leaders
11 September 2017
Greenfield industrial projects in the age of IIoT require new, flexible and productive plant solutions.
Take the “Wait” Out of Powder Blender Drying
8 September 2017
This new high-efficiency centrifugal blower system can dry powder blenders and tanks used in pharmaceutical manufacturing in 30 minutes or less.
Master the Balancing Act of Powertrain Assembly
4 September 2017
A more distributed control architecture plus new design and configuration tools speed line load balancing in powertrain assembly – and enable more flexible manufacturing.
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Turning Machine Data Into Operational Intelligence
30 August 2017
Real-time information and analytics can help prevent production problems from occurring and drive improvement efforts, provided manufacturers have digitally enabled operations.
Four Tips for Bringing IoT to Your Modern Mine
25 August 2017
For mining companies, IoT promises to help reduce maintenance costs, minimize downtime and enhance safety, but fully embracing IoT requires careful planning.
Women in Engineering? Women in Engineering!
25 August 2017
Women are great at roles that are historically considered to be "male," therefore, young girls need to be educated about different opportunities where they can get involved.
Connecting Upstream Operations
23 August 2017
Upstream oil and gas producers can connect operations and optimize production with Connected Enterprise solutions.
Are You Skilled Up for Digital Transformation?
21 August 2017
Building the tech talent pipeline is about more than re-training current employees – it’s a combined effort that starts in K-12 and reaches beyond college.
Where Man Meets Machine, Potential Risk Follows
18 August 2017
Know what to do (and what not to) when it comes to documenting product design changes, and understand the safety hierarchy so you can limit your company’s risk profile.
Where Should My Process Analytics Solution Run?
16 August 2017
Producers in the process industries need to answer these three questions to arrive at a viable analytics solution.
What Industry Can Learn from Theme Parks
15 August 2017
The challenges of providing amusement park thrills while keeping guests safe pushes the edge of technology. Lessons here are applied across industries improving uptime, security and safety.
Have We Lost Our Appetite for Exploration?
14 August 2017
By supporting STEM-related education through mentors, financial and product support, we’re creating the explorers of tomorrow.
Is Your Network Meeting Your Performance Needs?
11 August 2017
Choose the right industrial switch to optimize performance in your network infrastructure.
Cement Your Profits with Kiln Optimization
9 August 2017
Modelling and controlling production with MPC technology can lead to improved kiln stability and overall production rate, reduced material loss, and energy costs.
F&B Companies Need to Address the Skills Shortage
7 August 2017
We’re getting smarter, but the convergence of existing systems and the adoption of new technology is placing new burdens on workforces. Here’s how one company solved the problem.
Beat the Heat When Mounting AC Drives
4 August 2017
Giving careful thought to thermal management when deciding where and how to mount VFDs can help protect the VFD and its performance, and reduce unexpected downtime.
Find Your Inner Inventor
3 August 2017
If you’re new to innovation, learn what you can do to explore the possibilities and inspire yourself and others about your idea.
Safety and Security in a Connected Enterprise
2 August 2017
Safety and security have traditionally been viewed as separate entities, but in industrial production, your safety and security programs are inextricably linked.
Honor Your Inner Inventor
1 August 2017
Engineering merges art and science. Are you a creator, inventor or innovator? Join the Meant To Invent competition.
3 Ways Enforceable Workflows Improve Profitability
31 July 2017
How can manufacturers improve production and profitability? Let’s review 3 ways manufacturing production management software with enforceable workflows can help.
Approaching Change One Step at a Time
28 July 2017
How modern is your mining operation? Connecting your mining operations allows you to gather data in real-time so you can make better business decisions.
Connecting Real-Time Production Data
26 July 2017
Instead of physical consolidation under one roof and one owner, production can now be digitally consolidated using the Internet of Things.
Changing Culture Starts with Conversation
24 July 2017
Creating a more inclusive workplace culture doesn’t require a big splash, or even everyone on board. It takes courageous conversations.
Phosphate Plant Reconstructed with a Modern DCS
21 July 2017
PCS Phosphate, a chemical processing facility, went through a complete process control migration allowing better and faster decision making capabilities with PlantPAx DCS.
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Value for Packaging – More Than Equipment
21 July 2017
Packaging equipment manufacturers can better serve customers by understanding their bigger challenges instead of relying entirely on technology. Everything starts with a conversation.
Smart Technology in Food Manufacturing
19 July 2017
Online competitors, informed customers and changing regulations are driving the need for food and beverage manufacturers to rapidly respond. Smart technology can help.
When To Enable IO-Link in Your Operation
17 July 2017
The latest smart sensors communicate detailed data and diagnostics, allowing machines to operate more effectively.
Ransomware Attacks: Are Your Operations Safe?
14 July 2017
It’s said the best defense is a good offense. Protecting industrial control systems from attack requires a plan to both prevent and respond. Are you adequately prepared?
Automotive Machine Builders: Deliver Smart Value
10 July 2017
Thanks to enabling technologies, automotive machine builders can deliver more value than ever before. Two smart questions are key to success.