We live in a world of rapid change, driven by the growth of ‘smart technology’.  Automation components are becoming more compact, both for centralised and decentralised applications, while still delivering considerable computing power.  Sensors and actuators are also getting more ‘intelligent’. 

Advantech, a leading industrial computing platform provider, introduces TPC-5212W – a 21.5” full HD modular industrial panel PC. With the arrival of Industry 4.0 and IoT conventional all-in-one panel PCs lacks the flexibility to meet industry requirements. To address this need, Advantech creates its TPC series of modular panel PC solutions, the first of which is TPC-5212W. Aimed at control applications, TPC-5212W is equipped with a low-power, fanless 6th generation Intel® Core™ i3-6100u processor, 8 GB of DDR4 SODIMM memory and an industrial-grade TFT LCD proviing a high-performance display panel solution. Additioanlly, the system’s inclusion of PCIe expansion ports and iDoor integration ensure high expandability and scalable functionality. For enhanced wireless communication, an NFC/RFID module with antenna is embedded in the front bezel to ensure reliable signal recognition. Furthermore, TPC-5212W features three 3xGbE LAN ports with redundancy and multiple fieldbus protocol support, MRAM and TPM 2.0 technology for data security. The product is an ideal solution for a wide range of industrial automation applications, such as machining multi-task control, SCADA/Fieldbus software control, vision inspection, and surveillance.

Modular Highly Expandable Design Enables Rapid Customization

With increasing market demand for product variation and mass customization, modularity is becoming the new standard for next-generation solutions. The incredible flexibility of the TPC-5212W’s modular design offers numerous performance and cost-saving advantages, including rapid customization according to specific application requirements, easy integration and deployment, high serviceability and future expandability for long lifecycles. The commonality of components allows customers to produce multiple products using the same solutions, thereby accelerating development and shortening the time to market, while also ensuring a long product lifecycle. Moreover, rather than sending the entire system for repair, customers only need to replace faulty components, drastically reducing system downtime and interruptions to production.

Optimized Design with Multi-Protocol Support for Increased Connectivity

TPC-5212W is equipped with three 3xGbE LAN ports with Intel® chipset support to facilitate IT and OT bridging as well as multi-protocol communication and communication redundancy. Two of the three LAN ports also support CODESYS software to enable extensive connection and networking with OT layer devices for integrating and transmitting OT layer data (PLC, server) to IT layer systems (ERP), making it easy and convenient to develop OT to IT solutions. The TPC-5212W front panel is also embedded with a Wi-Fi/NFC module for rapid signal recognition to provide the enhanced wireless connectivity necessary for efficient productivity.

Built-In TPM 2.0 Technology Offers Enhanced Security for IIoT

TPC-5212W features a built-in TPM 2.0 module that provides hardware-based encryption and control on boot to ensure data integrity and secure transfers across diverse platforms. In addition to offering increased security for industrial IoT and Industry 4.0 applications, the inclusion of TPM technology enables production tracking with the provision of device history records. TPM can also be used as a replacement for smart cards, reducing associated costs and allowing customers to add value by integrating Advantech’s iDoor modules.

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Leading compressed air specialist BOGE Compressors UK has relocated in response to growing demand for its products and services. The firm, which has been based in Brighouse for over 20 years, has moved its entire UK operations to a new site in Huddersfield. It is now operating out of three impressive industrial units, totalling 12,750 sq. ft.

In future, industrial manufacturing will be both simpler and more modular. Both these trends result from the adoption of concepts like Integrated Industry and Industry 4.0: the equivalent of the Industrial Internet of Things. Compact and robust solutions will have to be developed to implement distributed task assignment in the field. These tasks might include the acquisition of sensor data or data from communications with central IT systems. These scenarios are tailor-made for HARTING’s MICA® (Modular Industry Computing Architecture) to come into play.

Automated users report  250% performance improvement

—Red Ledge, Böwe Systec and Stockrail International partnership unifies intelligent, integrated production and WMS control with state-of-the-art materials handling, advanced sortation and labelling

—Partnership to publicly launch ‘Red Ledge Automated Manufacturing & Logistics’ systems at Robotics and Automation show

—“Our advanced control and integration set a new performance benchmark for supply chain systems, speeding business processes, improving customer service and cutting costs” says Red Ledge director Alan Wilcockson

Key Problems

Plant, office and facilities maintenance requires regular access to elevated areas, which are awkward and therefore difficult to reach; each task being different from the last. Working at height must be accomplished safely and, traditionally, out sourced scaffolding companies and fixed aluminium tower systems have been deployed. Outsourced scaffolding labour is expensive and not available 24 x 7, aluminium frame systems are cumbersome, inflexible, difficult to transport and will not adjust to fit into awkward areas.

The application of heat is an important stage of many areas of the engineering and process sectors. This can range from curing of adhesives and paints, assistance in plastics forming and lamination, browning of food toppings, prevention of thermal shock during hot filling of bottles and jars even the heating of metal tool moulds. There are many other manufacturing processes where heat is used and often this heat needs to be applied selectively and in a targeted fashion. This can often be achieved most efficiently and cost-effectively using infra red heating.

‘It’s not rocket science,’ people often say when describing how easily a problem might be solved.   But cryogenic technology, now being used to produce stainless steel screwdrivers, is now enabling rocket science to benefit automation engineers and technicians. The principals of cryogenics, used by NASA and other space agencies to develop rocket fuel, have been used by designers and production engineers at Bahco to develop a ground-breaking new range of stainless steel screwdrivers.