Trends: Page 569

Controls & Machine Components

Turning the tide in packaging automation

Our fourth and final Packaging Automation Forum report looks at the automation challenges still faced by packagers and how PAF participants are driving new technologies and standards to achieve their companies’ growth and profit objectives.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

Packaging Automation Forum: a blockbuster event

Consistent message from packagers: automation strategies must deliver business results. That’s why outdated control specifications have opened up to new solutions that improve efficiency, flexibility, cost of ownership and access to management information.

May 31, 2006

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Pharma perspective on Packaging Automation Forum

In this second installment of our PAF report, pharmaceutical packagers share insights into the business advantages of modularity, enabling shop floor personnel to make good decisions, and networkable machine structures.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

CAN Card

Copley’s new smart Model CAN-PCI-02 CAN provides an interface between the company’s distributed motion control software and its CANopen servo and stepper drives.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

128-Channel I/O Card

Advantech’s Industrial Automation Group has introduced the PCI-1758 series DIO cards. PCI-1758UDI offers 128 inputs, PCI-1758UDO has 128 outputs, and PCI-1758UDIO is a combination card with 64 outputs and 64 inputs.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

Rotary Actuator

Alpha Gear’s TPM geared motor (rotary actuator) is based on an AC servo motor and high-precision planetary gearing. With an overall length of just 186 mm, the unit is less than half the size of conventional motor and gear combinations.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

Rockwell Automation: Expanded Power Ranges

Rockwell Automation has expanded its family of servo drives with the new Allen-Bradley Kinetix 7000 drive. With continuous output power of 22 to 250 kW, the new, high-power servo drive seamlessly integrates Allen-Bradley Logix controllers, servo motors, and actuators to create flexible machine design.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

B&R Industrial Automation: Compact I/O System

IP20 Compact I/O modules from B&R Industrial Automation offer solutions for applications that handle distributed I/O signals, ranging from simple digital input to SSI encoders.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

Schneider Electric: Circuit Monitor

Schneider Electric’s new Square D® PowerLogic® CM4250 circuit monitor’s metering accuracy combines with advanced problem-solving features such as anti-aliasing filters that help eliminate false signals and guarantee high-quality readings.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

Ethernet Communication

AutomationDirect has released the H4-ECOM100 Ethernet communication module for the DirectLOGIC DL405 PLC. Priced at $359, the module may be inserted into any I/O slot of any local DL405 base, including expansion bases when using the DL450 CPU and -1 bases, to implement master/slave Ethernet communication at 10 or 100 Mbit data rates.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

Digital Servo Drives

The Electromechanical Automation Div. of Parker Hannifin has released 2 new high-powered additions to the Compax3 family of industrial, high-performance, all-digital servo drives.

May 31, 2006

Controls & Machine Components

Danaher Motion: Simplified Programming

Danaher Motion has launched Servoshaft, a software package that enables users to run all 3 main functions of a control system on their own computers: data monitoring and collection on the PC, the PLC, and motion control.

May 31, 2006