Construction companies that understand the requirements of industrial automation are few and far between. We talk to Total Construction’s James Bolton and Rob Blythman to discuss how the company’s expertise extends across the advanced industrial sector. Industry 4.0 – it is the concept on every manufacturer’s lips. The potential of advanced technologies and techniques to … Continue reading The Total take on Industry 4.0 →

By David Willingham, Senior Application Engineer at Mathworks Australia Machine Learning seems to be the engineering industry’s latest buzzword – a technology with astonishing potential, yet one that many businesses struggle to understand, let alone embrace. Just last year, fewer than one-third (23%) of businesses had adopted any level of Machine Learning automation, and only … Continue reading Getting back to the basics: what is machine learning? →

The productivity-enhancing potentials of the technologies associated with Industry 4.0 are becoming increasingly attractive to manufacturers. But where can a small- or medium-sized company go to find the right path forward? We take a look at the benefits of industry collaboration with research institutions. Media representations of Australia’s manufacturing sector today are often characterised by … Continue reading Taking the leap: research collaboration as a path to industrial innovation →

Endress+Hauser has expanded its center of competence for advanced analysis in Lyon, France. The Group invested 2 million euros in a new production facility and office space to meet the growing demand in the area of advanced process analyses. From Lyon, around 20 employees support Endress+Hauser sales centers across Europe in the application and sales … Continue reading Endress+Hauser invests to expand its Lyon facility →

In industrial process measurement and automation, demand is steadily rising for simple, reliable and maintenance-free measuring instruments in a pocket-sized format. The new Picomag from Endress+Hauser fulfills such requirements, making no compromises. Not only does it measure the flow of electrically conductive fluids, but also their process temperature and conductivity. In addition, Picomag offers customers … Continue reading Pocket-sized flow measuring technology →

According to the National Academy of Engineering (USA), engineers worldwide are facing a whirlwind of change. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace that engineers must update half of everything they know every couple of years. Additionally, demands from customers are also putting pressure on companies to adapt and evolve. For example, the fluid … Continue reading Lifelong learning at the HYDAC Training Centre →

A company’s priorities may vary depending on where in Australia they are situated. Miri Schroeter speaks with automation specialist Bunbury Industrial Controls (BIC) about the importance of responding quickly to customer needs in a regional area. Bunbury Industrial Controls (BIC) is an automation company that mostly serves companies within Western Australia. It is about a … Continue reading Catering automation to businesses near and far →

The latest general meeting of the IICA in Sydney, which took place at Strathfield Golf Club in mid-April, featured a presentation by Manny Romero, the director of ETM Pacific, who explained how the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is changing the control system environment. Romero began by addressing the inherent woolliness of the concept of … Continue reading Explaining the process: IIoT and the future of control systems →

One of the time-consuming tasks in electrical cabinet building is cutting out rectangular holes in which to mount process indicators and controllers. PACE explains how Akytec displays make installation easier. Akytec manufacture a series of attractive, compact programmable process indicators with a 4 digit 7 segment 24x 48mm LED Display. What sets the displays apart … Continue reading Ocean Controls presents easily mounted displays and controllers →

Vega has been a leader in radar level transmitters for over 20 years, continuing to offer improvements to the process control sector. PACE explains how the transmitters have changed over the years. The use of the radar level transmitter for the process industry started back in 1991. These were extremely large units and operated with … Continue reading How Vega has led the way in radar level transmitters →

Accelerometers are critical in establishing a well-functioning condition monitoring system. PACE takes a look at a new portable accelerometer calibrator, the 28959G. The era of automation has elevated the role of sensors to a new high.  Sensors are now key components within manufacturing processes and within infrastructure control systems helping engineers to maximise productivity, minimise … Continue reading Using accelerometers in condition monitoring →

Will robots take our jobs? Or will they provide new opportunities for better working conditions for manufacturing workers? In his presentation at AUSPACK 2019, Universal Robots’ Peter Hern said the introduction of collaborative robots into firms is bringing the human element back in an age of machines and computers. AUSPACK 2019, Australia’s largest packaging and … Continue reading Overtaking Industry 4.0: the coming of the cobots →

The laser sensor from Bestech Australia offers reliable and highly precise measurement for automation requirement in factory and process plants. They can be easily integrated to the industrial control system and also have compact design for installation in an area where space is limited, such as in test bench or control system. Depending on the … Continue reading Understanding laser sensor for application in test bench and production control →

Fusion energy offers the possibility of a highly potent power source without waste and dangerous emissions, and with almost unlimited fuel. PACE speaks to physicist Richard Garrett about Australia’s role in a promising fusion project. Discussions about the best way forward for energy production and supply invariably centre on the pros and cons of renewable … Continue reading Powering into the future with fusion: Australian research and the ITER project →