WirelessHART was tested under realistic conditions at BASF, with extremely positive results. This closes the last gap in wireless networking for process instrumentation. more

Reliable switchgear is indispensable for the stability of power supply systems. Ethernet-based systems are gaining ground here. However, their use without air-conditioning and under great EMC loads places especially high demands on the technology. more

Milk and milk products are a growing market sector in India: the country has emerged as the largest producer of milk in the world. more

Today, the exchange of production data and communication between individual production units is a matter of course. Ensuring this exchange requires networks that can be used in all environments. The same applies to areas with increased explosion hazard levels, such as oil rigs and refineries. more

Interview with Volker Hoock, marketing manager for industrial communication at Siemens more

To ensure reliable plant monitoring, plant operators require secure and cost-effective access even to machines and plants located far away. Siemens delivers products, systems, and solutions for telecontrol and teleservice for use in the process industry, factory automation, and the public infrastructure sector. more

Wind power turbines are among the applications in which remote monitoring is particularly critical. At the same time, these applications also have particularly high requirements when it comes to data transmission. more

The natural consequence of the increased use of Ethernet in industrial applications is that the Ethernet network has quickly established itself as the backbone of many critical manufacturing applications and the vehicle that plant operators use to control and monitor production. more

The demand for telemaintenance solutions by machine and plant manufacturers and plant operators is growing in the wake of progressing globalization. Remote access offers many advantages from mere cost saving to increasing the plant availability. more

With the aid of Industrial Ethernet, networks can be implemented for applications in which maximum availability or precise synchronization of the data message frames are the top priority. more

Customers are often forced to look around for the most cost-effective solutions for equipping their machines due to the enormous price and competitive pressure. more

Within this industry, Siemens AG tends to be known more for the control systems used in European machines and plants, such as the S7-modular Embedded Controller. Now, the Munich-based company is also proving itself as a specialist for automation concepts. more

Companies must choose a clear strategy to achieve long-term success in the demanding global markets. An important element: the use of modern technologies for controlling production, intralogistics and supply chain. more

There is a special need for telemonitoring in many applications today. Wireless communication via the GSM network makes it possible to realize economic benefits. more

In the search for saving potential in industry, energy consumption is increasingly becoming the center of focus – also in branches with a production which, at first glance, is less energy intensive. more

Modern machines and plant concepts demand safety solutions which can be integrated flexibly and at low cost into complex production processes. The failsafe Simatic WinAC software controller does a good job here. Automation functions can be individually adapted and safety functions up to SIL 3 can be implemented on the same PC-based automation system. more

The “IO-Link” system is now also opening up the final level of control engineering by means of communication technology: sensors and actuators that previously only transmitted signals and switching states to the programmable logic controller (PLC) are now making available their entire intelligence and functionality system-wide. more

Time and time again, a wide variety of models, product liability and the constant demand for increasing efficiency pose challenges to manufacturing companies. The flow of materials has to be synchronized and quality data be collected, while simultaneously, the cycle times and the downtime risk have to be lowered. more

Within the framework of the Siemens Solution Partner Program merge the strengths of Siemens with the application and industry expertise of the solution partner. more

Siemens presents a new addition to its library of technical books: Catching the Process Fieldbus: An Introduction to PROFIBUS for Process Automation by James Powell, P. Eng., and Henry Vandelinde, Ph.D. more

Elektronikwerk Amberg relies on wireless LAN technology for the internal networking of a new paternoster system for the continuous temperature testing of operator panels. The wireless communication minimizes the wiring and maintenance efforts and at the same time increases the flexibility and the operating and testing convenience of the system. more

The new Simatic S7-1200 micro PLC family combines a flexible, versatile design concept with added performance and extremely compact construction. In both design and handling, Simatic S7-1200 opens up a whole new dimension in the low-end performance class. more

The increasing use of Ethernet networking in automation technology has led to a sharp increase in the number of network components and terminals over the last few years and to the use of network technologies from the office environment. more

Combine an ultra-compact box PC without fan or hard drive, realtime-capable Controller software and an innovative visualization system: Ready for installation and operation, this rugged and flexible embedded automation solution is designed for harsh, machine-level use. With a product that takes on even the most formidable tasks, a leading automation supplier has added yet another feather to its cap. more

For years, the Siemens Gerätewerk Amberg manufacturing facility has relied on radio-frequency identification (RFID) in its manufacture of electrical devices. Now RFID also controls the material flow in a new manufacturing facility. more

The Siemens FastConnect system has long been established in the assembly of connections in a control cabinet. Now it also simplifies the assembly of cables in applications without control cabinets and therefore saves assembly time and costs in systems with equipment with a high degree of protection. more

There are two trends in electrical switching technology: on the one hand maximum system modularity, on the other hand extensive system integration with a compact structure. An all-in-one solution, the compact Sirius 3RA6, bridges the gap between the two and therefore combines decisive advantages. more

The rapid growth in the airport industry is placing significant demands on all of the associated technologies - this also applies to the infrastructure and logistics. In Germany alone, between 1997 and 2007, the number of passengers increased by 3.7 %, and worldwide this figure was on the average 5%. The number of passengers is forecast to increase further. By 2015, approximately 200 billion US dollars will have been invested worldwide in new airport projects and expansions (according to the Boston Consulting Group). more

Light Curtains, light grids and transceivers are available on the market with integrated PROFIBUS interface. In this connection, the top safety category 4 according to EN 954-1 or type 4 according to IEC/EN 61496, and SIL 3 according to IEC 61508 are obtained. more

In the past there was a clear distinction between field busses in manufacturing and Ethernet in the IT world. Now, however, networks based on the Ethernet protocol are conquering the furthest reaches of the factory, and the two formerly distinct communication structures are starting to merge. So it is only natural that the CIO (Chief Information Officer), in other words the head of IT, and the COO (Chief Operation Officer), in other words the plant manager, are increasingly able to "talk" on the same network. more