As the adaption rate of automation technologies is rising, concerns about potential workforce displacement are gaining ground with new statistical studies presenting unsettling numbers. Before we deep-dive into the challenge of workforce displacement due to automation, let’s try to understand how we arrived here in the first place. The Context There are three major drivers […]
This week’s topic of Simple Solutions series is non-invasive liquid level detection. Production equipment that comes into contact with liquid requires regular maintenance and cleaning. A simple solution such as a non-invasive (capacitive, ultrasound or infrared) sensor can make this processes easier and less costly. Smooth surfaces are commonly easier to clean (as opposed to a surface with […]
Can automation make a production system safer? The answer is yes and no. On one hand, when a process is operated in a consistent, reliable and predictable manner (as enabled by automation), it allows human operators to think more as opposed to continuously acting. This makes them less likely to rush through decisions and responses, […]
In many production processes the temperature is an important parameter for the end result of the product. Consequently, knowing how to control temperature is critical to proper operation. This is regardless of the process being manual or automated. When aiming to control temperature in the production process, it is important to take into account the […]
All products and services have environmental impacts. And the waste can occur at any stage of the product life-cycle: extraction of raw materials for production, manufacturing, distribution, usage and disposal. Therefore, an integrated approach to addressing waste needs to be taken: end-of-pipe (disposal & recycling) solutions alone cannot create a sustainable product life-cycle. As opposed […]
Today is Wednesday. This means it’s time for Simple Solutions, weekly series of posts serving as a reminder about simple and effective technologies that can be used in production automation. This week’s topic is Regenerative Braking. There are electricity costs associated with running a motor that creates movement in a production system. When using brakes […]
Historically, the price of electrical energy has been fixed and based on the price of fossil fuels required to generate the energy. Therefore, it did not matter when energy was used. That resulted in great demands on electrical power from many users at the same time and caused peaks of demands. These peak demands happen […]
Ever since the Industrial Revolution, the manufacturing sector has been reaping benefits from technological advancement. Given current and potential future developments such as the IIoT, advancements in industrial robotics and 3D printing, Augmented and Virtual Reality and more, it is fair to say that technological progress will continue to present manufacturers with new opportunities for […]
Today we start with Simple Solutions, weekly series of posts serving as a reminder about simple and effective technologies that can be used in production automation. This week’s topic is Infrared Temperature Sensor. In many production processes, the temperature of a product is a big factor affecting the outcome of the process and, thus, the quality of […]
The field of automation covers multiple disciplines with mechanical engineering, electrotechnology and information technology as the main ones. Automation can be completely virtual or it can require electromechanical components to function. Automation can be very complex and extensive but in most cases it has a simple basis. In this article, we provide an overview of automation […]