So far we have introduced the concept of smart manufacturing, building on the topics of network connectivity, smart devices and progression. The need to modernize aging equipment is usually the basis for action, but other events such as emerging projects could also spawn activity. This post introduces a three-step, functional smart manufacturing process, to identify…

U.S. manufacturers are lagging when it comes to smart manufacturing (SM). According to a 2014 Manufacturing Outlook Survey by the American Society for Quality, only 13 percent of U.S. companies are implementing SM. However, it’s important to note that of those organizations that say they’ve adopted SM: 82 percent claim they have experienced increased efficiency 49 percent experienced fewer…

The single greatest impediment to the adoption of smart manufacturing may be the absence of information goals. Manufacturers do a great job promoting the network, the devices and technologies. But what is the end goal we are trying to realize? The concept of progression enables us to get started on the path, without necessarily having…

What defines a smart device? First and foremost, smart devices communicate. Outside of their basic function, such as circuit protection, they share valuable data. They enable collection of data, even high speed data, via Ethernet and managed switches. Smart devices share diagnostics (time running, temperature, others). This data can be used to improve both process…

Fully realizing the vision of smart manufacturing requires massive change. Connectivity requirements alone demand that hundreds of smart devices be introduced, as well as reels of network cable. And that is just the beginning. There is a learning curve to overcome, requiring a degree of experimentation. Unprecedented amounts of new data will be accessible, which…

Interoperability is a characteristic of a product or system, whose interfaces are completely understood, to work with other products or systems, present or future, in either implementation or access, without any restrictions[1]. Read that again. Completely understood, work with other products, present or future, no restrictions. Interoperability, together with standards, makes integration so much easier. It…

EtherNet/IP vs Profinet – a Comparison There are two clear leaders when it comes to Ethernet protocols – EtherNet/IP and Profinet. Each command a whopping 30 percent of worldwide market share or 60 percent combined[1]. But why? Are these networks truly superior? We say no. Neither network is as deterministic as Profibus, DeviceNet or ControlNet.…

The concept of smart manufacturing, as we’ve mentioned, is predicted to be the next Industrial Revolution. And it is driven by connectivity and the unprecedented access to data[1]. The data has always lived in your devices; it’s just become much easier to access and act on — provided that you have network connectivity. A fully…

There is a new Industrial Revolution on the horizon, one that promises to turn the current state of manufacturing as we know it on its head. This new future blends information, technology and human intelligence in a way that will fundamentally shift the way products are made, sold and delivered. In its simplest definition, Smart…

When he’s not casting from his fishing boat at midnight on Smith Mountain Lake, Brian McDonaldson is likely monitoring operations at one of Rockingham County’s largest manufacturing plants – from his smart device. McDonaldson is the reliability manager at WhiteWave Foods, makers of Horizon Organic milk, Silk Soy milk, International Delight coffee creamers and other…

The traditional manufacturing business model – making products and selling them for a profit — is increasingly on its way out, given rapid advances in smart technology and changing consumer demands. Instead of just accepting what’s mass produced out of the factory – as we have done for the last century – with converged technologies…

It’s been a long time since any real revolutionary change occurred in our industry. There have been incremental improvements over the years, to be sure. The late ‘80s and early ‘90s were great for PLC programmers, when there was a race to adopt the new technology. (See our infographic on the history of the PLC.) There…

Interesting fact: The concept of the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) was born on New Year’s Day in 1968. For nearly 50 years, the PLC has been crucial to the advancement of manufacturing globally. From the earliest Modicon models to the latest Allen-Bradley components, PLCs have given manufacturers the ability to increase proficiency and market value. “There was…