by Gary Mintchell | Oct 25, 2021 | Uncategorized
I have had to change my newsletter in many ways. We originally set it up to link from this blog to MailChimp. But that provider has become more and more obnoxious as a privacy invader. I did not need or want all the information it collects on subscribers. I never figured out a good thread for the newsletter, either.
Last year I subscribed to a new email service from BaseCamp called HEY. My email address over there is [email protected]. They offer a “web site” at world.hey.com/garymintchell and an email newsletter. The latest is here. You can sign up for it there. It will offer a weekly synopsis of posts and additional thoughts on the market, tech trends, or personal development suggestions. This website captures no information. It is much more in keeping with my ethics than MailChimp or its competitors.
If you sign up via this blog, you’ll get an email from HEY asking you to confirm. My old set up unbeknownst to me automatically subscribed people. I apologize to all who received an email without directly requesting. I thought you had until I delved into the underlying programming.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 25, 2021 | Personal Development
Happy Monday! Here are four pieces of wisdom for living that I’ve been thinking about over the weekend.
Experiment. Life is an experiment. You try something. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. When it doesn’t, then you try something else. Always.
Invent. Look for new ways to do something. Invent a tool, a pattern, a lifestyle. Go on a new path beyond the same old experiences.
New Ideas. One way to train your brain to come up with new ideas is the 20 things method. Sit with a page of paper and a pen. Write a question at the top of the page that you are trying to solve or figure out. Write an idea. Write another, maybe just playing around with the words. After about 15 answers, you’ll notice the ideas are becoming more creative. By 20, you will have the solution you are seeking.
If you missed writing class in school, that will be much to your detriment. This is a variation of the list method (a thought which just occurred to me). You begin with an idea and begin to write an essay. By the time you have finished the essay, you will have ideas that you never imagined when you began. It happens with me almost every day that I sit down to write this blog.
Practice these daily.
Ask better questions. This got me into trouble as a student. Some people just seemed to have an ability to take things on faith. I still remember chemistry class in high school, but the same held through in almost every class I took even throughout university. Some people accepted whatever the teacher said, remembered it, wrote it on tests. They were the A students. I always asked, how do they know that? I puzzled things out. I didn’t care about the test. It was superfluous. I was a B student.
I feel I lack on asking better questions many times. That is my personal challenge. What is yours?
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 22, 2021 | Automation, News, Robots
A couple of news items came my way yesterday. The first is news from Inductive Automation from its conference last month. I wrote about the applications a variety of customers presented and about the awards the company presented to the ones judged best. This release talks about them. What I miss most about attending some of these conferences in person are the breakfast and lunch impromptu discussions with users about what they really do rather than what marketing people present in a polished form. The second release from Festo discusses initiatives in robot use in healthcare. All this is about advancing ideas. Perhaps you can get an idea from these to advance your own use of technology!
Inductive Automation Announces 2021 Ignition Firebrand Awards
Inductive Automation has selected the recipients of its Ignition Firebrand Awards for 2021. The Ignition Firebrand Awards recognize system integrators and industrial organizations that use the Ignition software platform to create innovative new projects.
“We had some unique projects that earned Firebrand Awards this year,” said Don Pearson, chief strategy officer for Inductive Automation. “Whether it was for a well-known organization like Smithfield, or an Australian company making high-speed catamarans, or a team building a large COVID-testing lab in record time, the companies that created these Ignition projects achieved outstanding results. It’s really inspiring for us to see all the innovation from people who are part of the Ignition community.”
The 2021 Ignition Firebrand Award winners are:
- BHP, a global resources leader, created a high-performance HMI to help technicians monitor data at a large operations center in BHP’s minerals division. Data is collected from more than 30 sites across Australia, thousands of devices, and 1.1 million tags. The single user interface has brought numerous benefits, including having all data displayed in one place, less downtime in operations, and cost savings. See the video.
- CPM Beta Raven improved feed mill operations for Smithfield Hog Production by deploying a modern SCADA platform at the mill in Milford, Utah. The mill produces 12,000 tons of animal feed per week, which feeds 1.7 million pigs per year. With the new solution, Smithfield has greater access to data, and is more able to produce huge batches with strict tolerances. See the video.
- Cromarty provided a new Ship Integrated Management System to Incat, a leading maker of high-speed catamarans used for ferrying passengers, vehicles, and more. The new system manages data from various inputs and displays it in a consistent manner on operator workstations throughout a vessel. Incat has made 100 vessels thus far, with the new system being used on several of its most recent ships. See the video.
- DMC helped Ginkgo Bioworks create a large, high-capacity lab for COVID testing in just nine months. With morethan 40 automated work cells, robots, PLCs, lab equipment, and vision inspection systems, the highly automated lab had the capacity to process 100,000 samples per day. The project was developed amidst constantly changing requirements, yet seamlessly combined both industrial and biological automation. See the video.
Information on all 15 Discover Gallery projects can be seen here.
The ICC 2021 keynote and other conference videos can be seen here.
Festo and MassRobotics Select Companies for the Inaugural Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst Program
The first four companies in the inaugural Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst program have been selected by Festo and MassRobotics. The Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst is a new program for the global robotics startup community to advance healthcare developments by providing promising companies with investor and customer introductions, access to subject-matter experts, and a range of technical and marketing support resources.
The robotics companies selected include Assistive Technology, an American startup dedicated to at-home physical therapy solutions that are operable at a low cost and always accessible to rural patients and those who need closer monitoring for recovery. Swiss firm Bionomous provides laboratory equipment to automate the screening, sorting, and pipetting of miniature biological entities for more ethical and faster research in life science. Eureka Robotics, Singapore-based, develops and commercializes cutting-edge robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to automate high-accuracy, high-agility tasks. Finally, Canada’s Kinarm uses robotic arms to provide an objective assessment method to identify, measure, and track cognitive, motor, or sensory impairments resulting from injury or disease.
These four startups will have access to the innovation centers and engineering teams of Festo, one of the world’s leading automation companies, and collaborating corporate partners.
With the onset of the pandemic, the lack of awareness between the healthcare and technology communities was evident in terms of how robotics could be applied to ease staffing concerns and reduce the potential spread of the virus. Many unmet and untapped white spaces were identified, which initiated the development of a MassRobotics Healthcare Robotics Working Group and the Catalyst Program.
The inaugural catalyst program runs from now through March 2022. For additional information visit the Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst program webpage.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 21, 2021 | Automation, Industrial Computers
New generations of rugged computing devices are appearing at the end of the year. In this one, Zebra Technologies has two versions of 12-inch rugged tablets and 2-in-1s. Notable is WiFi 6E and 5G cellular. These two connectivity technologies are going to be important for industrial applications, not just for speed, but also for development of private networks.
Zebra Technologies Corporation introduced the ET80 and ET85 (ET8x series), a new series of Windows 12-inch rugged tablets and 2-in-1s. The ET8x series is designed to improve productivity and safety across multiple industries. These tablets are Zebra’s first tablets with support for WiFi 6E and 5G.
The thin and light ET80 and ET85, which run on Intel 11th Generation processors, are a portable option in the field and can be purchased with a detached rugged keyboard featuring a friction hinge so front-line workers can experience a complete laptop-like experience on the go, in their vehicles or at their desks.
The ET8x series also supports workflows in field service and manufacturing. For field service and utility workers, the devices can be used for mobile work order management, safety inspection and compliance, and remote assistance applications. On the manufacturing plant floor, they help improve quality assurance and forklift operations, as well as maintenance and repair workflows.
Zebra’s new series of tablets and 2-in-1s can function as a standalone tablet or a true laptop replacement and provide support in even the most rugged environments. At less than 2.9 pounds and with an optional detachable rugged keyboard, the new ET8x series offers a flexible work option that can transform into a desktop in the office or a mobile workstation in a police car, truck, or forklift. The ET80 and ET85 also offer a longer battery life than previous models, reducing time spent recharging or switching to back up devices, further improving productivity and reducing downtime.
The new ET8x series offers a 12-inch screen, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, optional integrated barcode scanner, and supports Windows Hello via a front-facing camera for facial recognition and optional fingerprint reader for multi-factor authentication. The ET80 and ET85 are also the first Zebra Windows 10 tablets equipped with select Zebra Mobility DNA software tools to optimize workflows, and improve communications and usability for mobile workers. These tools include Power Precision Plus, which provides visibility into device battery health and optional Workforce Connect Push to Talk features, which streamlines communications in one connected platform.
In addition, Zebra OneCare Maintenance Plans are available for the ET8x series to help users maximize device uptime and business performance, ensuring they get the most out of their investment. With Zebra OneCare plans, front-line workers can perform at peak levels while also reducing device vulnerabilities, unbudgeted repair expenses, and unexpected disruptions.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 20, 2021 | Data Management, Operations Management
Yes, Virginia, people really are operationalizing digital twin and other digital technologies. This news hails from Italy about digital twin in chemical processing. It’s not just for building cars.
Honeywell and Saipem have signed an agreement for product development and commercialization of a “Digital Twin” as part of Saipem’s Snamprogetti Urea technology. The solution will be developed on Honeywell Forge, Honeywell’s enterprise performance management solution, to enable customers to improve the production of urea through virtual simulation of key processes.
The new service will be commercialized with Saipem’s brand and powered by Honeywell Forge. Saipem will be responsible for the management and technical support of the digital tool, involving Honeywell on a demand basis. Honeywell’s digital twin solution will also be used as a virtual model to guide engineers with actionable insights into machine performance and maintenance needs in order to optimize plant production of urea.
The Honeywell Forge solution, deployed in more than 60 process units worldwide, will enable Saipem to provide real-time response on plant operational management, to collect data for monitoring and predictive maintenance, to contribute to the optimization of its clients’ operations and to deliver more value to stakeholders. The solution will allow Saipem to remain in close contact with its clients, even after plant delivery, to modernize its offering as a licensor and to collect feedback regarding plant performance.
