Posts by Christina Fazzari
3 Predictions for Industrial Robots
The use of robots in industry in 2024 will be marked by “a growing focus on the critical role of AI (artificial intelligence),” said Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics Division. “From mobile robots and cobots, to enabling new robotic applications in new sectors and creating new opportunities for people to learn and develop, these…
Read MoreSiemens Set to Acquire Industrial Drive Business
Nearly a year ago, Siemens sold its low-voltage motor business to ABB, which included Siemens’ line of severe-duty and general-purpose motors. Despite this divestment, Siemens continues to focus on its motion control business. As evidence of this, Siemens has signed an agreement to acquire the industrial drive technology (IDT) business of ebm-papst, which includes battery-powered…
Read MoreProcess Monitoring Tools, Benefits, and Types
Keeping a close watch on what’s happening within business processes, aka process monitoring, has become really important for making smart decisions. Process monitoring involves regularly tracking, analyzing, and reporting on how everything flows from step to step to make sure it’s working as planned. This helps comply with rules and achieve goals. Using advanced monitoring…
Read MoreCalculate and Apply OEE
The topic of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is a perennially hot topic in automation. We see it every month in the traffic search data that leads users to the automationworld.com site. Considering that OEE is a straightforward and decades-old formula, the number of searches being conducted about OEE indicate that workers in industry still have…
Read MoreLean Thinking for Continuous Improvement – Toyota Production System
Modern organizations require modern technology but also a change on the operational side. They require methodologies that transform them from within and drive efficiency, growth, reduce waste, and establish a competitive edge. With lean thinking, the name of the game is always striving for perfection through constant improvement and respecting the people doing the work.…
Read More7 strategies to Improve IT/OT Cybersecurity
How can organizations protect both information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) from malicious actors and escalating cyber threats? These threats fundamentally require that IT and OT teams collaborate and work together. However, the convergence of IT and OT has been a challenge across industries. To better understand this phenomenon, let’s first highlight the main…
Read MoreDrive Production with Heijunka
Heijunka, which was initially adapted from the Toyota Production System, is now a crucial component of lean production in several different sectors. The primary objective of Heijunka is to precisely sequence things to spread production volume and product mix evenly over a certain amount of time. This produces a balanced, consistent, and predictable workflow that…
Read MoreRobotics Partnerships Grow to Solve Specific Industry Issues
According to Hai Robotics, its ACR system robots can increase productivity by achieving typical throughput rates of approximately 500 pieces per hour (pph), compared to 100-250 pph without the use of robotics. “Companies face high costs for warehouse space, continued labor shortages and pressure to deliver goods quickly,” said Keith Fisher, president of Honeywell…
Read MoreUnderstanding, Analyzing, and Controlling Common Cause Variation
The pursuit of consistency is fundamental to operational success, yet variability seems unavoidable due to the nature of people, processes, and work environments. While random fluctuations are expected in any system, too much variability negatively impacts an organization’s quality, productivity, and ability to meet customer demands. Understanding common cause variation and implementing strategies to monitor…
Read MoreMitsubishi Invests in ThinkIQ Around Manufacturing and Supply Chain Transformation
ThinkIQ, a supplier of digital manufacturing software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies, recently received investments from Mitsubishi Corp. to accelerate digital transformation with smart manufacturing technologies in industrial supply chains. The focus of this investment by Mitsubishi, the terms of which were not disclosed, will focus on industrial applications in Japan. The open smart manufacturing platform from ThinkIQ…
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