In industrial plants, PLCs run the show. Chemical giant BASF had a large number of PLCs and they wanted to update automatically. But with multiple firewalls to navigate and many third-party devices involved, integrating them on a single network would be a challenge.

Small and medium facility operators can obtain a comprehensive facility automation system delivering the capabilities they need by choosing the right hardware and software solution. Standard PLCs and HMIs can meet the needs of the facility without complex and expensive server hardware, or a datacenter environment.

Advancing the smart factory with PC-based control technology, electronics companies are developing platforms with unified interfaces as part of a flexible manufacturing strategy. Intelligent networks combine multiple users and machines with a range of advanced services.

A manufacturer of precision machined aluminum die castings and subassemblies reduced costs and raised efficiency by implementing an industrial application platform. New tools enabled building solutions in human-machine interfaces, SCADA and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

PC-based automation, drive networking and Ethernet I/O reduces control technology cost and cycle times for OEM machinery builder. Use of EtherCAT technology improved PLC cycle times by 30% and reduced control system costs by approximately 30% when compared with equipment from previous vendors.

Implementing Industrie 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT) concepts is leading to a huge increase in the volumes of data in manufacturing plants. PC-based control technology forms a potent solution for processing this data, as manufacturers seek to meet the demands of optimizing manufacturing quality and efficiency.

A leading manufacturer of furnaces for biscuit and bread production designed new cabling systems and connections for its newest production lines. These systems are capable of producing around 4,000 kilograms of biscuits per hour: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To meet the demands of Industry 4.0, condition-based monitoring (CbM) of robotics and rotating machines, such as turbines, fans, pumps, and motors, offers a method for record real-time data related to the health and performance of machines to enable targeted predictive maintenance, as well as optimized control.

Network, cybersecurity, and automation control professionals in discrete manufacturing and similar operations can work to optimize profitability with the most sophisticated automation solutions driven by the advent of the IIoT, while maintaining optimum, best-in-class cybersecurity levels on the plant floor.

DTE’s wooden packaging plant includes over one hundred inverter drives, all of which need to be controlled simultaneously and in real-time. A new communications network able enabled it to connect its inverters to PLCs, and ensure that the machines could instantly adjust operating parameters for optimal performance.