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Message From The Editor
In this issue read about what it is like to be hosted at the Hannover Messe Trade Fair by Rittal, as well as Rittal operations throughout Germany. For the beer lover out there, learn about how Rockwell Process Automation has helped Sleeman increase production in facilities across Canada by roughly 50%. As we follow up on our coverage from Hannover, have a look at the numerus products and innovations being offered by Pilz. And for those of you concerned with distribution and vendor arrangements read the interesting article by True North Solutions on how vendor neutrality can help grow your business.
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Brewing Automation
Virtualized Process Automation System Increases Sleeman Breweries Production Capacity by 50%
By Rockwell Automation
Ten years ago, tourists looking for a taste of the local life in Southern Canada may have asked for one of the region's best wines. Today, it's all about craft beer. From entrepreneurial newcomers to large-scale producers, brewers in Canada are cashing in on the thirst for craft beer. The number of microbreweries - producing less than 25,000 cases of 24 - has more than doubled in the last seven years. The explosion in craft beer popularity had one company - Sleeman Breweries - bursting at its production seams. The third-largest brewer in Canada, Sleeman brews and distributes popular beers from lagers to pale ales.
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Visitng Hannover Messe 2019
Rittal Takes Hannover Messe to the Next Level
By Owen Hurst
As many know the annual Hannover Messe trade fair was held in Germany at the beginning of April. Each year this immense fair provides the latest trends and product insights in the fields of integrated automation, control, drives and energy. This year Panel Builder & Systems Integrator was privileged to attend the fair with Rittal. Of course, Rittal needs no introduction to our audience as their enclosures are very well known and respected within the Canadian market. However, if you have not attended the Hannover fair or had the privilege of visiting Rittal's Headquarters in Herborn, Germany, you may not be aware of all the innovations and initiatives that are being undertaken to better serve you.
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Hannover Messe Products and Innovations
Pilz at Hanover Messe 2019
Under the motto "We automate. Safely", for Pilz the main feature of this year's Hannover Messe was innovative automation solutions that will make the vision of the factory of the future a reality. At Hanover Messe 2019, the Pilz stand visitors discovered the modular safety gate system that you can use to combine your individual solution for safety gate guarding. With the new light, master and slave versions of the safety laser scanner PSENscan you can implement the most varied applications in the range of stationary and mobile zone monitoring. High machine availability can be ensured with the particularly robust safety light curtain PSENopt II. In addition, Pilz showed how Outdoor applications are secured using radar technology.
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Advancing Industries
How Automation and Robotics Will Change Food Manufacturing
By Nelson Leite
Food & Beverage is one of the fastest changing industries in business today. Consumers are demanding products that can be more difficult to process, and companies need to respond with safe, quality goods that are not going to put off the buyer in terms of price. To stay ahead of their competition and contribute to the bottom line, companies must remain flexible and diligent in making sure their facility is clean in order to ensure food safety. A key driver for many manufacturers looking at robotic solutions is economics. Because the unemployment rate has dropped significantly, particularly in the area of general labor, and the minimum wage has increased, it is difficult to meet the demand for people.
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Changing Scene
- LAPP hires new Vice President of Sales for LAPP Canada
LAPP North America, a global supplier of industrial cables and connectors, welcomes Brock Horton as its new Vice President of Sales, LAPP Canada. In this position, Mr. Horton will support the company's strategy to enhance its local presence while supporting all LAPP North American business units. "Mr. Horton has the right combination of sales and operations experience," says Gerald Lawrenz, CEO of LAPP North America.
- JMP Solutions Achieves Top 10 Largest System Integrator Ranking in North America
JMP Solutions, industrial technology partner to the Fortune 1000, has announced they achieved the ranking of top 10 largest System Integrator in North America, an annual list published by Content for Engineers (CFE) Media in their System Integrator Giants 2019 special report. JMP climbed up in the rankings from 19 in 2018, to number 10 this year. Additionally, using a five-year CAGR (compound annual growth rate) calculation, JMP is the second fastest growing System Integrator in North America.
- Sick Ltd. Process Automation: Establishing New Partnership in Ontario
SICK Ltd. is pleased to announce a new Process Automation Distribution Agreement with WESTECH INDUSTRIAL LTD., effective immediately. Westech is a leading supplier of analytical instrumentation and process control equipment to a wide variety of industries and will enhance SICK Ltd.'s position in the Ontario market as a premier provider of continuous emission monitoring systems and process automation solutions. Westech Industrial Ltd. will be a great addition to the SICK Ltd. team. Westech has offices throughout Canada and the USA.
- Endress+Hauser Group files 287 patents in 2018
The number of patents submitted by the Endress+Hauser Group continues to rise. As reported during the annual Innovators' Meeting held this year in France, the Group submitted 287 initial patents in 2018, a new record. Endress+Hauser owns nearly 7,800 active intellectual property rights worldwide. Angelika Andres, Corporate Director, Intellectual Property Rights at Endress+Hauser, is pleased with the most recent activities: "This year we once again achieved a record number of innovations, both in the number of patent filings and the number of approved patents."
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Omron launches brand new website with improved user experience, new tools and fully responsive design Industry-leading automation solutions provider Omron Automation Americas has launched a brand new website designed to improve ease of use for customers, distributors and system integrators. It provides several new features and tools, in addition to a more modern and fully responsive look and feel. Omron Automation Americas, a provider of end-to-end solutions for industrial automation, announces the launch of its brand-new website.
North American Machine Vision Market Grows Nearly 10% in 2018, hits Record Numbers for 6th Straight Year North American sales of machine vision components and systems that provide vision intelligence to robots and other machines reached $2.874 billion in 2018, an increase of 9.2 percent over 2017 and a new record for the market. According to statistics from the AIA, the industry trade group and part of the Association for Advancing Automation A3), application-specific machine vision (ASMV) systems led the growth with $1.998 billion in sales in 2018, an increase of 7.8 percent over 2017, followed by smart cameras with $466 million, an increase of 14.2 percent.
Beckhoff Introduces Machine Learning for All Areas of Automation Beckhoff Automation has announced a new machine learning (ML) solution that is seamlessly integrated into TwinCAT 3 software. Building on established standards, TwinCAT 3 Machine Learning offers ML applications the same advantages of system openness familiar from PC-based control technology. In addition, this TwinCAT solution supports real-time ML, allowing it to simultaneously handle demanding tasks like motion control.
Hatch becomes authorized value provider of ABB Robotics On April 2, 2019 Hatch became an official system integrator of ABB Robotics under the Authorized Value Provider Program (VPP). For over 50 years, Hatch has been developing custom machinery solutions for our clients' toughest challenges. The need for safer and more efficient operations has led to the use of more advanced and flexible automation solutions. For several years, Hatch has been developing custom robotic solutions and the expertise to meet this mandate.
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International News
- FANUC Showcases Zero Down Time in Augmented Reality Demonstration at Automate 2019
FANUC America will demonstrate its award-winning Zero Down Time (ZDT) Industrial IoT solution at Automate 2019 in Chicago, Booth #7540. At Automate, FANUC welcomes visitors to an all-new augmented reality (AR) experience featuring a variety of manufacturing situations where ZDT can help. The experience will include six common manufacturing challenges printed on two graphic display panels that simulate manufacturing facilities. Each story will have a 3D image with markers that connect to a mobile APP.
- OnRobot's Gecko Gripper wins 2019 Hanover Messe Robotics Award
Learning from nature - this is the spirit that spelled success for OnRobot A/S as the winners of this year's ROBOTICS AWARD in the context of HANNOVER MESSE. The Danish enterprise received the top prize for its Gecko Gripper. The runners-up - forwardttc (in cooperation with KUKA) and the MASKOR Institute - also attracted a lot of attention and praise for their innovative robotic solutions.
- ABB names Peter Voser as interim CEO, Ulrich Spiesshofer steps down
The Board of Directors of ABB and its CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer have mutually agreed for him to step down from his role, which he has held since 2013. The Chairman of the Board, Peter Voser, will become interim CEO in addition to his current role with immediate effect. An official search to find a new CEO has been initiated. Peter Voser: "On behalf of the Board and the employees of ABB, I would like to personally thank Ulrich for his dedication and commitment to ABB's customers and employees, not only as CEO, but also in other executive roles at ABB since 2005."
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The Digital Perspective
EPLAN eVIEW: Faster maintenance
The cloud as a central point of exchange for relevant engineering data provides a high-speed avenue for location-independent access to high-quality digital data. Festo has been an EPLAN partner for years and has numerous component data stored in EPLAN Data Portal. At the Hannover Messe, the provider of automation technology is presenting the modular demonstration system "Productivity Master" that maps the digital workflow from design to engineering through to maintenance and repair. This is right where EPLAN comes into play: The electrical engineering documentation is made directly available through EPLAN eVIEW.
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Product Selection
Three ways vendor neutrality helps your business
By True North Solutions
When a professional hockey player chooses his equipment, he doesn't usually buy all of the items from just one manufacturer. He may, for example, choose a hockey stick from one company, skates from another and a helmet from a third. This is because the player has looked at all of the options and chosen the best equipment to get his best results. Similarly, your business should be free to source the best equipment for the job, regardless of the vendor. That's the principle behind vendor neutrality. "You should find the solution to gets the best results," says Bob Reitenbach, Vice President of Business Development at True North Solutions.
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Digital Strategy
Leverage Your Data and Organize It in Dashboards
By Rob Prashad, Rockwell Automation
A couple of years ago was the year of aligning data and analytics with the larger business strategy, according to Gartner. It's still early into 2019, and the amount of data is continuing to grow without any signs of slowing. So how is that alignment coming along? A digital-first strategy has received fresh life thanks to offerings that can enhance connectivity to every source of information while normalizing all that data for use anywhere. Numerous applications are now more readily available, thanks to connectivity and normalization, and one I've been working on recently has gained a lot of interest from users across organizations: the plant overview dashboard.
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Innovations on the Water
Rittal: Making Waves in the Marine Industry
For almost a half a century Canal Marine & Industrial of St Catharines, Ontario has provided electrical design, engineering and services around the clock to the merchant marine, naval and coastguard fleets in Canada and the rest of the World. In recent years, Canal has become a leader in the design and supply of marine hybrid power and propulsion systems. These systems utilize alternative methods for supporting propulsion and the vessel's electrical power plant, so that fuel consumption and emissions are reduced. Great Lakes Towing of Cleveland, Ohio (popularly called "The Towing Company") operates the largest and most experienced U.S.-flag tugboat fleet.
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Product News
Pilz I/O Systems PSSuniversal - Proven Technology Utilized Worldwide
Alongside the proven technology of the first generation I/O systems PSSuniversal with head modules and corresponding I/O modules, the remote I/O system PSSuniversal 2 is continuing the success story. Improvements to mechanics, handling and diagnostics show the way to the new universal generation. The communication modules PSSuniversal and PSSuniversal 2 are used for decentralised networking and for transferring safety-related and non-safety-related signals at field level. Using PSSuniversal, a wide range of applications can be implemented by connecting up to 64 I/O modules.
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PLC/HMI Starter Kits from IDEC
Thinking of upgrading your current system? Trying to keep your costs low? IDEC has the answers you're looking for. IDEC PLC Starter Kits include components built to work together to give you the most for your money. IDEC brought some of the first micro-Programmable Logic Controllers to the market, and has been meeting your changing control automation needs for decades. IDEC controllers meet the highest standards for safety, flexibility and value.
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Schneider Electric's Easergy P5 Protection Relay Provides Advanced connectivity, safety, and simplicity for MV Network Protection
Connected EcoStruxure solutions start with connected products. Schneider Electri has announced the new, connected Easergy P5, part of their PowerLogic master range of intelligent devices, to meet the demanding energy needs of electricity companies in the IoT era. The P5 sets a new benchmark for protection relays, offering greater safety, simplicity, and reliablility. The Easergy P5 has been engineered to provide protection and control of critical assets with an unparalleled digital experience.
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Beckhoff Expands Ultra-compact Industrial PC Line with the New C6032
To further increase connectivity options in ultra-compact PC Control hardware, Beckhoff Automation has introduced the new C6032 Industrial PC (IPC). With dimensions of only 129 x 133 x 104 mm, the C6032 IPC enhances the scalability of the PC-based controller portfolio from Beckhoff. A high-performance device in a modular design, the C6032 adds two slots for PCIe Compact modules to the C6030 single-board IPC, which is comparable in terms of computing power, to accommodate modular interfaces and functional extensions.
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Multi-colour touch sensors with IO-Link from IFM
Flexible adaptation to the application by one individually adjustable sensor even in wet environments. The new multi-colour touch sensors from ifm allow flexible adaptation to your application. Where many different sensors were required before, one individually adjustable sensor is sufficient today. The NO/NC function or the colours for different operating states can be set within seconds. In addition, dynamic, static or bistable switching of the sensor can be selected.
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New HPS TruWave Active Harmonic Filter
The new HPS TruWave combines advanced control and proven reliability to provide a comprehensive and flexible solution for harmonic mitigation. HPS TruWave is designed to achieve total harmonic distortion, or THD, ≤ 5%, while requiring minimal impedance on the line side of a variable frequency drive (VFD). It provides compliance to ANSI/IEEE Standard 519-2014 requirements as well as other stringent power quality standards.
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B&R Automation Introduces Versatile Operator Terminal right at the Machine
B&R now offers its Power Panel operator panels for swing arm mounting. The compact terminals feature all-round IP67 protection and are perfectly suited for use right at the machine. The devices are available in widescreen format in five sizes from 5.0" to 21.5". With an embedded browser, Power Panel T50 Field HMI terminals are well-suited for displaying web-based HMI applications with mapp View.
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Emerson Introduces New Greenlee Flexible Clamp Meters
Emerson is expanding its Greenlee test and measurement offering with four new meters and probes: the CMF Series, CMF-110 and CMF-118 Flexible Clamp Meters, and FC Series, FC-110 and FC-118, Flexible Clamp Current Probes. The flexible coils allow professionals to measure current in hard-to-reach cables and large conductors that hard-jaw clamp meters cannot clamp around.
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MSP40 Full Gigabit Layer 3 Switch
The MSP40 switch enables high-speed communication - from single Gigabit speeds up to 10 Gigabit speeds - depending on your needs. The device's design is flexible and modular, making it simple to upgrade to 10 Gigabit speeds. With hot swappable ports, you can easily maintain and update your live network to limit downtime. For high-power applications, such as pan-tilt-zoom cameras, a Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+) module is also available to deliver an additional 120 watts of power per module.
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Balluff Releases New Print and Digital Product Catalogs
A new set of global product catalogs released by Balluff provides easy access to the company's wide range of products designed to measure, detect, identify and connect. The five-volume set is available in print or as digital flipbooks on the company's website. The 5-volume set includes the newest and best-selling Balluff products organized by product type to make it easy to search. The catalogs are listed individually but for those who prefer to have the entire set, a slipcase is also available.
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Allen-Bradley Bulletin 1769 CompactLogix 5370
The Allen-Bradley Bulletin 1769 CompactLogix 5370 Controllers are part of the Integrated Architecture system. These controllers include integrated safety, and use the same programming software, network protocol, and information capabilities as all Logix controllers. This provides a common development environment for all control disciplines. Consistent tools and features help users to lower engineering investment costs, ease diagnostics and troubleshooting, and speed up time to market for small to mid-size applications.
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MiR Launches MiR1000 to Transport Heavy Loads and Pallets Up to 1 Ton While Adding Industry-First AI-Based Navigation to Entire Fleet
Mobile Industrial Robots has launched the MiR1000, the largest autonomous mobile robot (AMR). As demonstrated recently at the Automate 2019 Show and Conference, the MiR1000 can automatically pick up, transport and deliver pallets and other heavy loads up to 1000 kg (2200 lbs) through dynamic environments. Like the MiR500, introduced in 2018, the MiR1000 is a collaborative, safe and flexible alternative to potentially dangerous and expensive fork lifts on the factory floor.
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This email was sent to blakemarchand@kerrwil.com. |
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