Opportunities and Challenges of the OEE Numbers Game September 1, 2016 The issues around OEE are not its utility but the ease and credibility of the data used to calculate it
Putting Safety First in Robotic Automation August 31, 2016 New ISO safety specification helps automation developers design safer robots for close encounters on the factory floor
With Machine Monitoring, Instant ROI is Possible August 18, 2016 There have been many process improvement trends in manufacturing over the decades, and none have had more significant ROI than machine monitoring. The increase in machine monitoring is owed in large part to the rise in popularity of the open and royalty-free interconnectivity standard MTConnect.
Siemens Gives Some Details of ‘Digital Twin’ Work with SpaceX, Maserati May 17, 2016 Siemens is working to fulfill the Industry 4.0 vision with the digital twin, speakers from the software firm told people attending its namesake product lifecycle management (PLM) software conference this week in Orlando, FL.
Time to Push for Step and Other Open Standards August 9, 2019 In the age of Industry 4.0 and the digital thread, computer-aided design (CAD) data exchange should be open and seamless because it happens daily in a multi-tiered supplier ecosystem and so much interoperability depends on it. But we are not there yet.
Serious About Industry 4.0? Then Adopt Open Standards August 9, 2019 Listen up, major manufacturers and CAD vendors: You’ve got the whole world in your hands—the world in this case being the vision of the digitally connected enterprise and cyber-physical ambitions for Industry 4.0.
How to Go About Harmonizing New Tech August 5, 2019 Before harmonizing new technology onto the manufacturing floor, critical steps include determining the business problems to be solved and securing buy-in from all stakeholders, industry leaders said recently during an AeroDef conference panel talk on manufacturing production harmonization.
Robot Company Creates Industry 4.0-Friendly Software August 2, 2019 FANUC has made real one of the promises of Industry 4.0, that of predictive maintenance for factory equipment, with its Zero Down Time IoT solution. ZDT can be applied to any of FANUC’s robotic arms and their peripherals.
Automotive Industry Warms to 3D Printing August 1, 2019 The auto industry wants to expand the use of 3D printers. Automakers such as Ford Motor Co. and BMW AG are working directly with additive manufacturers concerning deployment of the technology.
Manufacturing and AI: Promises and Pitfalls June 30, 2019 We all know the buzzwords circulating around digital data and the factory. You have heard them—Industry 4.0, smart factories, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI). The question we all have is how will this impact workers in the long term? What do these terms really mean? Nevertheless, both traditional software suppliers and makers of advanced manufacturing equipment are offering digital solutions.
