When Vision, AI and Control Converge: Designing Unified Industrial Systems in Real Time
Industrial automation is moving from isolated islands of vision, AI and control toward unified compute architectures that combine these functions in real time. By co‑locating perception, inference and deterministic control on a shared platform, manufacturers can cut latency, improve responsiveness, and simplify integration. The new design paradigm requires engineers to define timing budgets, partition workloads, and adopt standards, while technology providers must deliver real‑time capable hardware and open software ecosystems. This architectural shift promises scalable, adaptive production lines without sacrificing reliability.
3D Point Cloud Enables Robots to ‘See’
HOMAG Bohrsysteme unveiled a fully automated cell that uses 3D laser scanning and MVTec HALCON vision software to pick, barcode, and load irregular wooden workpieces into a vertical CNC drilling machine. The robot can handle chaotic stacks, read barcodes, and...
Chris Zuzick Elected Chair of PMA Board
The Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) has appointed Chris Zuzick, vice president of Waukesha Metal Products, as its 2026 board chair. He succeeds Gene Lambert of Batesville Tool & Die, while Eagle Metals’ Brian Murphy will serve as vice chair and...
Fibox Appoints CEO for Its Enclosures Business
Finnish enclosure maker Fibox announced a new leadership structure to drive its next phase of international growth. Former Schneider Electric executive Markus Hettig has been appointed CEO of the enclosures business, while finance veteran Pasi Niittymäki becomes CFO and Wago...
The Modular Mandate to Future-Proof Packaging Automation
The packaging automation market is projected to reach $140.8 billion by 2033, prompting machine builders to embed modular, flexible designs. Physical modularity paired with intelligent software ensures seamless line reconfiguration and traceability. Industry events like Pack Expo 2026 highlighted AI‑driven flexibility as...
How Edge Controllers Balance Closed Core for Deterministic Control with an Open Environment for Containerized Applications
Yokogawa’s edge controllers combine a hardened, closed‑core for deterministic control with an open Linux environment for modern applications. The devices employ TPM 2.0, TLS/SSL, secure boot and role‑based access to protect communications and certificate keys. Thermal limits, industrial certifications and long‑term...
How to Use Digital Twins to Solve Nonlinear Control Challenges for Rare Earth Extraction
A new digital‑twin framework has been built to tackle the nonlinear, time‑delayed control challenges of rare‑earth element extraction. The architecture combines color‑based soft measurement, dynamically compensated mass‑balance simulation, case‑based reasoning control, and a synchronized 3‑D virtual workshop. In pilot plants,...
Low-Code Development: A Solution for Quickly Evolving Industrial Environments
Low‑code development platforms are emerging as a fast‑track for industrial automation, with PwC reporting that nearly half of manufacturers plan to automate core processes by 2030. Mastek’s senior VP Chandrakant Deshmukh highlighted how low‑code tools can fuse IoT data, AI...
Take a Technical Deep Dive Into ISA-88 and ISA-95
The article provides a technical deep dive into ISA‑88 and ISA‑95, outlining how the functional specification (FS), software design specification (SDS) and technical specification (TS) map to user, developer and infrastructure perspectives. It explains that using ISA standards up‑front creates...
Optimized Java Virtual Machine Delivers Stable Program Development, Debugging and Performance
The Integ Process Group’s JNIOR edge controller pairs a purpose‑built multitasking operating system with an optimized Java virtual machine, delivering stable development, debugging, and performance for edge applications. The closed, managed OS eliminates unpredictable background activity while the open Java...
Siemens Expands 5G to US and 7 Additional Countries
Siemens announced that its industrial‑grade private 5G infrastructure is expanding to the United States and seven additional countries, bringing the solution to a total of 15 markets across Europe and the Americas. The rollout is powered by two new radio...
Fundamentals of Proximity Sensors: Inductive Vs. Capacitive Vs. PIR
Proximity sensors—inductive, capacitive and passive infrared (PIR)—are replacing mechanical switches across factories because they detect objects without contact, eliminating wear and enabling faster cycles. Inductive sensors excel at metal detection and thrive in dusty, oily environments, while capacitive units sense...
Joint Industry Perspective Released by the Industrial Security Harmonization Group (ISHG)
The Industrial Security Harmonization Group (ISHG) released a joint industry perspective emphasizing that industrial cybersecurity depends on how communication protocols are deployed and managed, not merely on the protocols themselves. The group—comprising FieldComm, ODVA, OPC Foundation, and Profibus & Profinet International— stresses...
Precision, Feedback and Modeling in Motion Control
Recent advances in inverter technology—particularly field‑oriented control and integrated PID feedback loops—enable induction motors to achieve the precision and dynamic response once exclusive to servo motors. Simultaneously, digital twins are becoming essential virtual replicas that let engineers test and refine...
Siemens Joins European Space Agency’s EPIC Initiative
Siemens has joined the European Space Agency’s Partnership Initiative for Commercialization (EPIC), offering its industrial‑grade digital twin and simulation platform to ESA‑backed space startups. The collaboration gives startups access to Siemens Xcelerator, mentorship, and a fully digital engineering backbone to...
How to Bridge Deterministic Control and Edge Integration
Mike Bacidore explains how modern PLCs serve as high‑power, sub‑millisecond controllers while bridging to edge networks. He categorizes factory communication into safe, deterministic and buffered edge, each with distinct timing and safety requirements. Physical isolation—using dual Ethernet ports for redundancy...
How Connected Worker Platforms Drive Cultural Transformation
Manufacturers are turning to connected worker platforms to preserve retiring expertise, deliver real‑time collaboration, and shift accountability from supervisors to operators. By digitizing knowledge, these tools can curb the estimated $5,900 annual loss per employee caused by skill gaps. Lakeside...
What Is a Stepper Motor?
Stepper motors remain a staple in automation because they deliver precise, repeatable motion without the need for complex feedback devices. Engineers choose among hybrid, permanent‑magnet, and variable‑reluctance designs to balance cost, resolution, and speed, while torque and acceleration requirements drive...
How to Leverage PLC/SCADA and Digital Twins for Mining Operations
Mining operators are increasingly deploying PLC and SCADA platforms to achieve real‑time visibility across underground and surface sites. A recent gold‑mine project linked 17 PLC nodes via an OPC UA architecture, harvesting over 40,000 data points annually and turning raw logs...
DigiKey Collaborates with STMicroelectronics and Ultra Librarian on eDesignSuite
DigiKey, STMicroelectronics, and Ultra Librarian have launched an enhanced eDesignSuite, a free browser‑based design platform that unifies simulation, component selection, and BOM purchasing. The tool supports power‑management, signal‑conditioning, and NFC/RFID applications, offering multi‑CAD export and direct integration with DigiKey’s catalog....
Control-Loop Diagnostics Undergo Software System Integration
Control Station has partnered with Dimension Software to integrate its PlantESP control‑loop performance monitoring platform with Dimension’s Asset Intellect operations‑intelligence environment. The integration surfaces loop diagnostics on unified dashboards that also display production, maintenance and energy data, enabling engineers and...
Leverage Profinet’s Security Building Blocks to Navigate EU Regulations
The EU’s new Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2 Directive, and the 2027‑effective Machinery Regulation are forcing industrial automation players to embed cybersecurity into products and processes. Profinet’s security architecture—secure cell, secure access, and secure realtime—maps directly to these regulatory requirements. While...
Strawberry Farming Leverages AI and Robotics
MISUMI Group has partnered with U.S. vertical‑farming specialist Oishii Farm to provide AI‑enabled robotics and mechanical components for its Ametalas indoor strawberry operation. The collaboration uses MISUMI’s extensive catalog and its Fictiv subsidiary to supply precision parts that automate climate...
Motion Expands Service Footprint in North America
Motion Industries announced the opening of two new sales branches in Mexico—Cuautlancingo, Puebla and Piedras Negras, Coahuila—officially launched in late 2025. The facilities add to Motion’s existing network, bringing the total to 16 locations across the country. Each branch provides industrial...
Redefining the Industrial PC: From HMI to Embedded Systems
Industrial PCs (IPCs) have shifted from niche PLC adjuncts to mainstream panel PCs that combine a touchscreen HMI with full computer capabilities. Modern panel PCs offer Ethernet, USB, and sometimes serial ports, turning them into versatile operators rather than dedicated...
Universal Robots and Scale AI Unveil UR AI Trainer at GTC
Universal Robots announced the UR AI Trainer, a joint solution with Scale AI, at NVIDIA’s GTC 2026. The system uses a leader‑follower robot configuration to record high‑fidelity motion, force and visual data for training vision‑language‑action models. Integrated with UR’s AI...
From Acoustic Detection and Ranging to Ceiling Cobots
The LogiMat 2026 Best Product awards honored three breakthrough solutions: Sonair’s Acoustic Detection and Ranging (ADAR) sensor, CeiliX Technology’s SkyBot ceiling‑mounted cobot, and Erhardt Partner Group’s EPG Aura Observer AI video‑analytics platform. ADAR equips autonomous robots with a 180°×180° ultrasonic 3‑D field...
Readying Industrial Connectivity for Cybersecurity Requirements
Cyber attacks on industrial operations have highlighted the lag in OT cybersecurity compared with IT. The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), effective from December 2024, forces manufacturers to report vulnerabilities and obtain CE marking for new digital products by December 2027. Standards...
Syncore and Sereact Plan to Roll Out More than 100 AI-Powered Robotic Systems
Syncore and AI‑robotics specialist Sereact announced a letter of intent at LogiMat to roll out more than 100 AI‑powered robotic systems across Europe in the coming years. The collaboration builds on existing pick‑and‑place units and inventory‑monitoring vision, and now adds...
$16 Million Awarded for Breakthrough Metal-Recovery Innovations
The NSF‑backed Tech Metal Transformation Challenge, run through Stride Ventures, awarded roughly $16 million to eight winning teams for metal‑recovery technologies. Each winner receives up to $2 million in the first 10‑month stage, with potential follow‑on funding of $2.5 million and $3 million for...
Software-Defined Automation Ushers in IT-Like Engineering
Industrial automation is shifting toward software-defined automation (SDA), a paradigm that separates control logic from hardware using containerized, virtualized environments. By adopting IT‑like engineering practices such as DevOps, modular code, and version control, manufacturers can achieve rapid scaling, easier updates,...
AI Data-Center Power Density Could Inspire Standardized IEC Infrastructures
Siemens and Rittal have announced a strategic partnership to create standardized, modular power‑distribution solutions for AI‑focused data centers. The collaboration targets the rapidly rising power densities that now exceed 100 kW per rack and could surpass 1 MW by 2030, introducing a...
Legacy PLC Maintenance Prevents Memory Loss Due to Battery Failure
A wastewater plant suffered a 15‑hour shutdown after a dead battery erased the program from an older PLC’s volatile RAM. The incident highlights how legacy controllers still rely on battery backups, making routine battery replacement and health monitoring essential. Maintaining...
3 Finalists Announced for 2026 Hermes Award
The 2026 Hermes Award finalists are Festo, Schaeffler and Ziehl‑Abegg, each showcasing breakthrough automation technology. Festo presents integrated fluid‑handling manifolds with embedded sensors, Schaeffler offers compact high‑torque actuators for humanoid robots, and Ziehl‑Abegg delivers a rare‑earth‑free synchronous elevator motor. The...
What Is Functional Safety?
Functional safety shifts machine protection from an all‑or‑nothing shutdown to engineered, controlled behavior under fault conditions. By using standards such as IEC 61508, manufacturers perform risk assessments to assign a Safety Integrity Level (SIL) and implement functions like safe speed, safe...
Women in Robotics 2026 Awarded by International Federation of Robotics
The International Federation of Robotics announced the 2026 Women in Robotics award, honoring 11 women from Asia, Europe and the Americas for pioneering work in robotics and AI. The award comes as global industrial robot installations are forecast to exceed...
EOSYS' Chase Davis Explains Optimized Motion System Footprints
EOSYS director of technology Chase Davis explains that decentralized drives relocate motor controllers onto the machine, dramatically cutting wiring length and control‑panel footprint. Pre‑fabricated cordsets and daisy‑chained networking enable faster installation, modular expansion, and rapid component replacement. Modern frequency inverters...
Pepperl+Fuchs and Everphone Launch Partnership for Industrial Mobility
Pepperl+Fuchs and Everphone have teamed up to deliver the German maker’s explosion‑protected smartphones and tablets through Everphone’s device‑as‑a‑service (DaaS) platform. The offering bundles 5G, NFC, GPS, dual‑SIM and MIL‑STD‑810H ruggedness with intrinsic safety features for hazardous environments. Customers can rent,...
E-Stops, Safety Controllers and Sensors Require Planning and Coordination
The article stresses that emergency stops, safety controllers, and sensors must be designed with coordinated planning rather than ad‑hoc additions. Dual‑channel redundancy and low‑voltage signaling ensure a single failure triggers a safe halt, while over‑specifying safety can provoke workarounds that...
TUM RoboGym Will Begin Robot Training Midyear
Neura Robotics and the Technical University of Munich have launched the TUM RoboGym, a 2,300 m² physical AI training centre at the Munich Airport Convergence Center. The facility will host a large fleet of humanoid robots for real‑world training starting mid‑2026. Joint...
How EU CRA and IEC 62443 Impact CANopen Device Manufacturers
The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) now mandates that all non‑exempt CAN‑connectable products meet cybersecurity requirements by December 11 2027. Because CAN protocols lack built‑in security, manufacturers must perform system‑level risk assessments and adopt IEC 62443 security levels, ranging from physical‑access controls for...
Nefab Opens Advanced Packaging Engineering Center
Nefab has inaugurated a 32,300‑sq‑ft advanced packaging engineering center in Guadalajara, Mexico, consolidating design, testing, prototyping and production on a single campus. The facility targets high‑value sectors such as digital infrastructure, semiconductors, healthcare and automotive across Mexico and the broader...
Cybersecurity without Overengineering
Industrial cybersecurity must prioritize data integrity and deterministic operation over blanket confidentiality. Regulations such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act and IEC 62443 mandate risk‑based, proportionate measures, warning against costly overengineering. EtherCAT’s hardware‑centric design—operating at the Ethernet layer without IP—naturally limits...
Why TSN Is Automation’s New Baseline
Time‑sensitive networking (TSN) is emerging as the new baseline for industrial automation by delivering guaranteed, deterministic packet delivery across shared Ethernet links. Built on IEEE 802.1 standards, TSN separates high‑priority control traffic from lower‑priority data such as video, preventing network‑induced delays...
Fundamentals of Position Feedback
Automation has shifted from simple limit switches to dynamic position‑feedback devices such as encoders and LVDTs, delivering continuous data across varying speeds. Encoders dominate motion‑to‑electrical conversion, with absolute models preserving position after power loss and incremental models tracking relative movement....
Integrated Safety Vs. Standalone Safety Controllers
Integrated safety controllers using industrial Ethernet dominate complex automation, offering reduced wiring, scalable diagnostics, and deterministic communication. However, standalone safety controllers remain preferable for simple machines, multi‑vendor environments, and retrofit projects due to their independence and ease of validation. Dedicated...
CAN Networks Can Meet EU CRA Requirements, but Security Levels Matter
The CAN in Automation (CiA) group warns that all CAN‑based products sold in the EU now fall under the European Union Cyber Resilience Act (EU CRA) unless covered by sector‑specific rules. Compliance hinges on achieving the appropriate IEC 62443 security level (SL),...
How Is the PLC Being Redefined?
Yokogawa introduced the OpreX Intelligent Edge Controller A8, a Linux‑based device that fuses traditional PLC functions with industrial‑PC and edge‑computing capabilities. The controller supports real‑time deterministic control while offering native connectivity to Profinet, EtherCAT, MQTT and OPC‑UA, positioning it for...
When Is It Time to Upgrade Your Control System?
Control system upgrades are back on plant executives' agendas as new capital budgets roll out for the year. The article highlights three primary risks of aging automation: hardware failure, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and the erosion of tribal knowledge. It urges decision‑makers...
When Is It Time to Upgrade Your Control System?
Plant managers face pressure to refresh aging control systems as new capital budgets roll out. Older PLCs and DCS platforms expose facilities to hardware failures, heightened cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and loss of tribal knowledge. Experts recommend a ten‑year upgrade cadence to...