With the ability to quickly automate complex and subjective decision making, deep learning solutions for production lines can help identify defects, ensure quality of goods, increase productivity and create process efficiencies. Despite its utility, implementing deep learning in an industrial environment can often be intimidating due to the number of tools, large datasets, specialized skills, and associated costs. [Read more…] about FLIR Systems and Neurala make deep learning inspection for the production line more accessible
Computing
GE Digital upgrades its industrial control offerings for ‘modern’ workers
GE Digital has unveiled enhancements to its Cimplicity and Tracker software that “provide critical decision support for operators to make them more efficient”, says the company.
Cimplicity is GE’s name for its human-machine interface and supervisory control and data acquisition (HMI/SCADA) solution, which provides client-server visualization to monitor and control operations.
Tracker, part of GE Digital’s Proficy Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) offering, automates routing and sequencing to accelerate time to market, reduce warranty and recall exposure, and support Lean operations and building right the first time. [Read more…] about GE Digital upgrades its industrial control offerings for ‘modern’ workers
B&R unveils ‘high-end’ computer for autonomous agricultural and construction vehicles
Industrial automation company B&R, a subsidiary of ABB, is adding a new high-end computer to its mobile automation portfolio.
The company says the new computer offers significantly more processing power and memory, giving it plenty of resources to implement autonomous functions for agricultural and construction vehicles or self-driving transport systems.
The computer is specially designed to perform in harsh environments. The housing temperature can be between -40°C and +85°C. The computer is also highly resistant to shock and vibration. [Read more…] about B&R unveils ‘high-end’ computer for autonomous agricultural and construction vehicles
Mitsubishi Electric extends supervisory control and data acquisition range
Mitsubishi Electric has extended its supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) lineup for EMEA markets, now offering two additional types of software for system monitoring and process control under the series name “GENESIS64”, complementing the existing “MAPS” SCADA software.
The new lineup will meet the diversifying IoT needs, covering a wide variety of purposes from small production line monitoring and control to multi-site monitoring and business intelligence (BI) for plant-wide systems, process automation as well as utility and building automation.
The “GENESIS64 Basic SCADA” is an entry-level software with essential functions for small production lines, and the “GENESIS64 Advanced Application Server” is a full SCADA suite for large-scale monitoring of factories, buildings, and utilities. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric extends supervisory control and data acquisition range
Rockwell Automation and OSIsoft extend digital data partnership
Rockwell Automation has extended its 15-year partnership with industrial data platform provider OSIsoft to “ensure continued” value for industrial manufacturing customers by enabling informed, data-driven decisions.
OSIsoft’s PI System is the market-leading operations data management platform for industrial organizations meeting next-generation demands for efficiency, reliability, security, sustainability, and resilience.
The agreement reinforces the companies’ joint commitment to drive outcome-based digital transformation solutions for customers across essential industries, including energy, mining, oil and gas, utilities, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and more. [Read more…] about Rockwell Automation and OSIsoft extend digital data partnership
PI USA adds ROS drivers to its hexapod robotic positioners
PI USA has added Robot Operating System (ROS) drivers to its hexapod 6-axis robotic positioners.
ROS, managed by ROS.org, is a flexible framework for robotics software development, and PI has released ROS drivers for its full compact H-811 hexapod range.
These miniature 6 degrees-of-freedom robotic positioning systems provide sub-micron precision for applications including Silicon Photonics array alignment, medical robotics, camera lens optimization, and microscopy. [Read more…] about PI USA adds ROS drivers to its hexapod robotic positioners
Seegrid launches Fleet Geek analytics software for mobile robots
Seegrid, a provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for material handling, has launched Fleet Geek, a cloud-based analytics solution that provides “a holistic, data-driven view of material flow”.
The company says it provides Seegrid’s customer base – prominent global brands in manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics – with “comprehensive, actionable insights into Seegrid Palion AMR performance across their entire network of facilities”.
Fleet Geek tracks and illustrates material flow trends, empowering users with critical insights to optimize workflows, increase utilization, quantify the value of automation, and scale automation initiatives across the enterprise. [Read more…] about Seegrid launches Fleet Geek analytics software for mobile robots
One-third of manufacturers planning to move software to the cloud, says IoT Analytics
One-third of manufacturers are planning to move the software they currently use on-site to the cloud, according to research company IoT Analytics.
IoT Analytics, a provider of market insights and competitive intelligence for the internet of things (IoT) and Industry 4.0, surveyed the industrial IoT market and found that almost one-third of manufactures are planning to move their manufacturing execution software to the cloud, significantly boosting the global Cloud MES market growth for the coming years.
Knud Lasse Lueth, CEO at IoT Analytics, says: “Companies are struggling to make use of their data in a meaningful way and use it to create value. Today, a significant portion of this data is ‘dark’ (that is, it is not used for any analysis). [Read more…] about One-third of manufacturers planning to move software to the cloud, says IoT Analytics
Computer games-making engine Unity introduces robotics simulation system
Unity, a software platform for making computer games, has unveiled a robotic simulation system.
Unity is one of the most popular platforms for creating and operating real-time 3D games and other digital content and its new functionality is called Object Pose Estimation demonstration, which the company says “combines the power of computer vision and simulation technologies”, adding that it illustrates how Unity’s artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities are “having real-world impact on the use of robotics in industrial settings”.
Object Pose Estimation and its corresponding demonstration come on the heels of recent releases aimed at supporting the eminent Robot Operating System (ROS), a flexible framework for writing robot software. [Read more…] about Computer games-making engine Unity introduces robotics simulation system
Siemens, IBM and Red Hat launch cloud initiative to ‘increase real-time value of industrial data’
Siemens, IBM and Red Hat have launched a new collaboration that will use a hybrid cloud designed to deliver an open, flexible and more secure solution for manufacturers and plant operators to “drive real-time value from operational data”.
In one month, a single manufacturing site can generate more than 2,200 terabytes of data according to a report by IBM – yet most data goes unanalyzed.
Through the joint initiative, Siemens Digital Industries Software will apply IBM’s open hybrid cloud approach, built on Red Hat OpenShift, to extend the deployment flexibility of MindSphere, the industrial internet of things as a service solution from Siemens. [Read more…] about Siemens, IBM and Red Hat launch cloud initiative to ‘increase real-time value of industrial data’