Best practices to simplify automation and go paperless
Tom Kelly, the CEO of Automation Alley, is almost an evangelist for advanced manufacturing technology and Industry 4.0.
Understand the risks and protect against IoT/OT devices being breached
Manufacturers are accelerating use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, according to a survey of 66 companies.
Challenged by an increasingly niche-oriented automotive market, The Chrysler Group (Auburn Hills, MI) must increase the number of models it offers while decreasing its capital investment. The company plans to offer 50% more models in 2009 compared to 2004, according to John Felice, VP of manufacturing, technology and global enterprise for Chrysler.
Lean manufacturing principles and automation systems can coexist, although many lean purists contend that lean goals conflict with using automation. Smart applications of automation, however, can result in deployment of systems that are both automated and lean, with flexible manufacturing systems that can be easily reconfigured as factory operations change.
Common misperceptions about lean manufacturing and automation systems lead many manufacturing managers to dismiss the use of automation in a lean setting.
There’s much more to leveraging production data than its capture and analysis; there’s also
integration with the company’s other software systems and the strategic perspective that results.
ABB said it has completed its acquisition of the Siemens low voltage NEMA motor business.
Meeting demand in a consistent, cost-effective manner requires balance and good forecasting. But sometimes it takes a little more due diligence to uncover the best way to increase throughput or meet rising demand.
