July 4, 2025 By Krystie Johnston Festo has a long history of innovation in technology, automation, and education. This year, the global company celebrates its 100th anniversary, and Festo Didactic, the training arm of the company, celebrates 60 years. When Festo began in 1925, automation was unheard of. They helped shape it by developing innovative…
July 3, 2025 By Krystie Johnston Siemens recently launched ‘Expedite – Skills for Industry’ at Realize LIVE Americas in June. Delivering on their promise to help students prepare better for the future of work by connecting engineering theory with practical skills, their microcredential courses will begin accepting enrollment this month. Dora Smith, Senior Director, Future…
June 19, 2025 Introduction As digital transformation reshapes manufacturing and warehousing, gaining actionable insights from the field and protecting sensitive assets are top priorities. Smart I/O brings intelligence to every corner of your facility, while motor protection filters shield your drives and motors from harmful voltage transients. Together, they form a robust foundation for a…
June 19, 2025 Encoders are the most widely applicable feedback devices for high-precision industrial servo systems. Learn the operating principles and appropriate applications for linear, rotary and sine encoders, as well as how to mitigate EMI/RFI noise for the most precise and reliable servo system control. Encoders: The High-Resolution Feedback Choice Encoders are characterized under…
June 17, 2025 Mechatronic components, such as feedback devices, motors, and drives, often use various communication interfaces to interact with control systems and other devices. These communication interfaces have evolved over time to meet specific needs and standards in the industry. Electromate explores some of the common communication interfaces and provides a simplified overview of…
June 11, 2025 Automated material testing system triples throughput and achieves highly precise control for nanometer-scale deposition with Beckhoff technology In the race to develop next-generation display technologies, one of the biggest challenges is creating and validating new materials that can meet increasingly demanding specifications. OTI Lumionics, an advanced materials innovation company located in Mississauga,…
June 6, 2025 Introduction In the high-pressure world of restaurant management, margins are slim, risks are high, and even minor oversights can lead to catastrophic losses. For Meadowbrook Restaurant Co., a multi-location restaurant group, that reality hit hard when a single night of equipment failures and human error cost them $10,000 in spoiled inventory and near-disasters. But…
June 5, 2025 Modular, compact, and flexible for minimized development and testing times Baumann GmbH, Amberg, develops turnkey automation systems for the automotive supply industry and electronics, pharmaceutical, and medical technology industries, as well as other sectors. These systems range from robot cells to fully automated production lines. The product range includes the MTS (Modular…
June 3, 2025 It pays to understand the feedback devices that are currently available for fine-tuning servo motor performance and how to choose the right type for your motion-control application. Servo motor-powered motion control systems are expected to be fast and accurate, and when correctly specified they are. However, there are numerous factors that can…
May 28, 2025 By Swathi Mohan, Founder of Leanacle Inc. Should you air your dirty laundry in public? In a manufacturing environment, absolutely! Wait, what? Let’s talk. Let me ask you something:Do you wait until a problem becomes urgent before involving the team?Do you sometimes “tidy up” issues before sharing them with leadership?Do you hesitate…
May 28, 2025 By Krystie Johnston Canadian manufacturing is in a tricky situation: it faces a labour and skills shortage that threatens its competitiveness and profitability. These shortages mean Canada missed out on almost $13 billion last year, according to a recent survey. An economic loss that by any means should not be discounted, especially…
May 20, 2025 By Krystie Johnston Hannover Messe 2025 was an extra special event for Festo. The Festo Group celebrated their 100th anniversary, Festo Canada celebrated their 50th anniversary, and Festo Didactic celebrated their 60th anniversary. Festo Didactic, the education arm of the company, understands how important education is for empowering individuals, driving economic growth,…
May 14, 2025 EtherCAT and PC-based control in test bench technology EtherCAT is by far the fastest Industrial Ethernet technology. Nevertheless, the data acquisition process at Kraus & Naimer’s cam controller test benches called for an even shorter bus cycle. To achieve the required performance, Beckhoff specialists reduced the previous cycle time from 100 µs…
May 14, 2025 When integrating robotics into manufacturing or research environments, programming and optimizing robotic tasks quickly becomes a critical factor. Traditionally, robot programming was done manually on the shop floor using a teach pendant—a time-consuming and error-prone process. Today, advanced robot simulation and offline programming (OLP) software have transformed how engineers design, program, and…
May 13, 2025 M12 Cables have become the industry standard for sensor/actuator connectivity in industrial automation environments. When selecting the right M12 cable for your application, the jacket material is one of the most critical factors that will determine performance, durability, and reliability. This guide compares the three most common M12 cable jacket materials: PUR (Polyurethane), PVC…
May 13, 2025 Learn how to ensure reliable and secure PLC program management Challenges in Version Control for Industrial Automation Systems In the rapidly evolving world of industrial automation, version control remains a critical aspect of maintaining reliable and efficient operations. The wrong version control system can lead to increased troubleshooting time, security vulnerabilities, and…