by Gary Mintchell | May 10, 2024 | Automation, Robots, Technology
This news brings together things I’m interested in (robotic, automated) with things on my peripheral (3D measurement). It should be interested to all of you within the discrete manufacturing market. Note: they use the term “revolutionalising” (British English), I am more cautious using that term.
Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced the launch of PRESTO System – an innovative modular suite of automated robotic inspection cells revolutionising the landscape of 3D measurement for automotive and aerospace manufacturing. PRESTO System builds on the foundation of its turnkey PRESTO quality inspection cell to provide manufacturers a future-proof system that sets a new standard for scalable, versatile, and seamlessly integrated automated quality inspection.
PRESTO System empowers manufacturers to become more agile with automated robotic programming that enables a single quality control specialist to create, test and deploy robust robotic inspection in hours. The deployed cells are highly flexible and accessible to all levels of expertise – an operator can safely load and inspect one part then another simply by selecting the correct part to inspect from the control panel. At a time where skills shortages are impeding daily operations for many manufacturers, the integrated robotic system eliminates repetitive manual setup and calibration processes, enabling teams to work more effectively and focus on operational excellence and halving total inspection time compared other modern inspection technologies.
Some features:
- Hexagon’s Absolute Scanner AS1 combined with absolute positioning from the Leica Absolute Tracker AT960.
- Blue laser line technology – PRESTO is the first Hexagon turnkey inspection cell to utilise the most advanced and intuitive method for capturing a rich and complete digital representation of both the key features and surfaces.
- SHINE technology that ensures effortless measurement of reflective surfaces, eliminating the need for part preparation.
- Sophisticated robotic automation software that utilises a digital twin to simulate and programme complete inspection programmes offline, and to coordinate the real time execution of all processes for repeatable and uninterrupted operations.
- Full integration and coordination of all systems, from robotic actuation to metrology scanning, enabling near-line inspection at higher speeds, in total safety.
The modularity of the PRESTO System provides flexible deployment, enabling manufacturers to rapidly scale their quality inspection capacity in alignment with their business needs. Once the first cell is deployed, additional modules can be added with short lead times and rapid installation. This scalability not only enhances operational agility – the standardised single-vendor solution also helps businesses to optimise their investment strategies by facilitating upgrades and enhancements rather than replacement.
by Gary Mintchell | May 10, 2024 | Business, Commentary, News
I devoted Tuesday this week to exploring Automate, the robot/vision/automation trade show produced by A3. Six miles of walking and many conversations later, a sense of the state of the industry and a few of the players visited me.
One thing to note was where consolidation is and has taken place. The cobot revolution has matured with the small innovative companies acquired by large corporations.
Interesting to delve further into Rockwell Automation’s latest strategy by visiting Otto, the autonomous mobile robot company recently acquired. It is going deeper into discrete manufacturing rather than broader into other technologies—sort of the opposite of Siemens. I wonder if that reflects on the differences of the American and German markets.
Conversations with Beckhoff Automation, Inductive Automation, and Opto 22 revealed how companies can be successful without selling out to a huge corporation. Independents like these still have a place in the market.
Thinking about the market consolidation of the past say five years, I saw this piece from technology writer, thinker, and former VC, Om Malik. I remember reading his columns in Red Herring maybe 20 years ago and have followed his work ever since. Here are some thoughts he had reflecting on Apple’s recent iPad event and the resulting ad. These thoughts are relevant to our market. Think of companies you know who are in the incremental improvement stage.
Apple is no longer making iconic products that are trying to find their place in our lives through clever messaging. The Crush ad is the output of a mega-company that still doesn’t realize that it permeates all aspects of our modern lives, including our retirement plans. When you are as large as Apple (or any other Big Tech giant,) mediocrity of action creeps into every aspect of your business.
Now it is trying to be a company that has to keep selling the newer, more incremental versions of those products to keep growing, so long as it can feed the quarterly earnings monster. It has to keep the stock flying high. Apple is now a $2.75 trillion company — and it has to do everything it can to keep itself there in that elite club. It is getting harder and harder.
Apple is not alone. Its big tech peers Amazon and Google are finding growth much more challenging. They are doing things that make them less likable by the day. And like them, Apple too, is primed to stumble!
by Gary Mintchell | May 9, 2024 | Automation, News, Security
Cybersecurity updates and news continue to fill my inbox. This one combines the trend toward working together for the common good.
Next DLP (“Next”), a leader in data loss prevention and insider threat solutions, announced that their Reveal Platform is the first Insider Risk Management solution to automatically map detection events to MITRE Engenuity Center for Threat-Informed Defense’s (“Center”) expanded Insider Threat Knowledge Base (ITKB 2.0). The ITKB 2.0 is the first of its kind to offer an evidence-based, multi-organizational, and publicly-available compendium of insider threat tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). This endeavor was developed in partnership between MITRE, Next DLP, CrowdStrike, HCA Healthcare, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Lloyds Banking Group, Microsoft Corporation and Verizon Business.
Digital transformation and hybrid workforces have significantly increased the complexity and volume of insider threats organizations face. Legacy solutions often require extensive manual effort to correlate detection events with specific threat behaviors, resulting in delayed responses, potential security breaches, and data leaks. Reveal addresses this challenge head-on by automatically including MITRE’s Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures (TTPs) in its detections, incidents, and analyst case reports.
“The expansion and refinement of our data repository was made possible by new cases and insights from our dedicated data contributors,” said Suneel Sundar, Director R&D, of the Center. “We’re delighted that Next is leveraging our knowledge of adversary behaviors and capabilities to provide defenders with a better opportunity to detect malicious insiders.”
By incorporating MITRE’s TTPs Reveal delivers a comprehensive narrative of the entire incident lifecycle, from initial reconnaissance and data collection to defense evasion and exfiltration. For the chronically overstretched Security team—a persistent problem given the ongoing security talent shortage—this rich information view maximizes the efficiency of analyst resources, empowering security teams of all sizes to perform at heightened levels.
“With Reveal, and in partnership with MITRE CTID, we are setting a new standard for data protection and insider threat mitigation,” said John Stringer, Head of Product at Next DLP. “By automating the mapping of detections to MITRE’s Insider Threat TTPs, we enhance our clients’ security posture by demonstrating MITRE ATT@CK coverage and significantly reducing the time and resources required to identify, respond to and report on high-impact insider threat activity.”
The MITRE Engenuity Center for Threat-Informed Defense is a non-profit, privately funded research and development organization operated by MITRE Engenuity. The Center’s mission is to advance the state of the art and the state of the practice in threat-informed defense globally. Composed of participant organizations from around the globe with highly sophisticated security teams, the Center builds on MITRE ATT&CK, an important foundation for threat-informed defense used by security teams and vendors in their enterprise security operations. Because the Center operates for the public good, outputs of its research and development are available publicly and for the benefit of all. For more information, contact [email protected].
by Gary Mintchell | May 8, 2024 | Automation, Embedded Control, Software, Technology, Workforce
I received many releases regarding automation from Siemens resulting from the Hannover Messe last month. They presented them to assembled press, analysts, and blogger this week at Automate in Chicago. These are all pretty cool.
- Siemens Industrial Copilot with Generative AI
- Spatial Computing Electrical Training for Apple Vision Pro
- Simatic S7-1200 G2—a new generation of controller
Siemens Xcelerator: Scaling roll-out of generative AI with Siemens Industrial Copilot
- Siemens makes automation easy with the first generative AI-powered product for engineering in an industrial environment
- Siemens Industrial Copilot accelerates the generation of complex automation code, reduces development times, and increases productivity
- TIA Portal connection offers customers SCL code generation, customization of HMI visualization, and document search in natural language
- Available for download from the Siemens Xcelerator marketplace starting in summer 2024
The Siemens Industrial Copilot, the generative AI-powered assistant, is now seamlessly connected to the Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) Portal. This will enable engineering teams to find the right help topic and to generate a basic visualization and code faster for programmable logic controllers (PLC). As a result, they will be able to significantly reduce their workload and offload repetitive tasks to the Siemens Industrial Copilot. In addition, the engineering of complex tasks will become less susceptible to errors. This in turn reduces development times and boosts quality and productivity over the long term. The Siemens Industrial Copilot for TIA Portal Engineering will be available for download from the Siemens Xcelerator marketplace starting in summer 2024.
Siemens and BILT Launch Spatial Computing Electrical Training for Apple Vision Pro
- Siemens leverages BILT on Apple Vision Pro to provide immersive step-by-step guided instruction for electricians
- BILT becomes newest Siemens Xcelerator Ecosystem partner
- BILT spatial computing app on Apple Vision Pro available at Hannover Messe tradeshow
Siemens and BILT, the creators of 3D Intelligent Instructions, are optimizing their mobile guides into spatial models for Apple Vision Pro. As the need for skilled electricians and other trades grows, training the entering workforce, while up-skilling the existing one, is essential. Tools such as BILT on Apple Vision Pro provide a highly immersive and visual training experience that helps users not only learn faster, but safer.
Siemens’ first product assembly and installation guides available on BILT on Apple Vision Pro include Siemens Smart Infrastructure’s Class 14 NEMA motor starter, designed to control and protect motors applied in industrial processes, and the P5 Power Distribution Panel.
To further the partnership and accelerate applications globally, BILT will become the newest addition to Siemens’ Xcelerator Ecosystem and Marketplace. Siemens Xcelerator, an open digital business platform and powerful ecosystem of partners, is where industrial clients from around the world can look for solutions that suit their needs. As part of Siemens Xcelerator, BILT will now be available as a turnkey solution to accelerate digital transformation and learning easier, faster and at scale.
A new generation of controller with Simatic S7-1200 G2
- Simatic S7-1200 G2 will be available in winter 2024
- Key benefits include efficient motion control, flexible machine safety, increased performance, and seamless scalability
For the first time in ten years, Siemens is announcing a new generation of controllers, available in winter of 2024, at Hannover Messe 2024. The Simatic S7-1200 G2 controllers are part of the Simatic controller family.
The new controllers help bridge the worlds of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). The controllers’ high communication performance and efficient data processing increase production output. By connecting the controllers to IT systems, it is also possible to use advanced data analysis, for example in the cloud.
The new controllers are part of Siemens Xcelerator, allowing customers to benefit from the standardized engineering approach in the TIA Portal. The Simatic S7-1200 G2 controller generation enables customers to address major challenges, such as productivity, flexibility, and cost optimization.
The new range of controllers combines integrated motion control functionalities with space-saving and flexible machine safety solutions.
For example, the S7-1200 G2 controllers make it possible for machine builders to control multiple coordinated axes and simple kinematics. Customers experience increased performance capabilities thanks to improved processing power, dedicated communication performance and more memory, as well as Near Field Communication (NFC) functionality with in-app access to diagnostic, operational, and device data. Plain text diagnostic information about the entire programmable logic controller (PLC) station reduces machine downtime and gives users quick access to data.
by Gary Mintchell | May 7, 2024 | Automation, Embedded Control, Industrial Computers, Internet of Things, Interoperability
Interoperability forms a key feature for useful technology. Think of train rail gauges. Or shipping cargo containers. Or much of our industrial technology—much, but far from all. The drive of technology application suppliers for proprietary lock in is strong. Many will open up only as much as customers demand immediately.
This news comes from ABB and the Linux Foundation regarding a new interoperability initiative for industrial applications. They call it “Margo” which is Latin for “edge.” Cute, eh? Better than many names I’ve seen over the years.
In brief:
- Margo, a new open standard initiative for interoperability, will address key roadblocks to digital transformation
- The initiative is hosted by the Linux Foundation and driven by a founding group of industrial automation solution providers, including ABB Process Automation and ABB Machine Automation (B&R)
- Margo aims to unlock interoperability at the edge – a key layer of Industrial IoT ecosystems where plant data is transformed into AI-powered insights to drive efficiency and sustainability
- At the Hannover Messe on April 23, 2024, founding members ABB (including B&R), Capgemini, Microsoft, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric (including AVEVA) and Siemens announced collaboration on a new initiative to deliver interoperability for Industrial IoT ecosystems.
Hosted by the Linux Foundation and open to further interested parties, the Margo initiative draws its name from the Latin word for ‘edge’ and will define mechanisms for interoperability between applications, devices and orchestration software at the edge of industrial ecosystems. In particular, Margo will make it easy to run and combine applications from any ecosystem member on top of the hardware and runtime system of any other member. Margo aims to deliver on its interoperability promise through a modern and agile open-source approach, which will bring industrial companies increased flexibility, simplicity and scalability as they undergo digital transition in complex, multi-vendor environments.
“Mastering efficiency, flexibility and quality faster than competitors is key to success in today’s industrial world,” said Bernhard Eschermann, CTO, ABB Process Automation. “Digitalization can help deliver on these benefits, but digital ecosystems require a robust, secure and interoperable framework at the edge, connecting operations and information technologies. For ABB, a long-standing advocate of open automation systems, driving a forward-thinking collaborative initiative like Margo is key to achieving this goal.”
“The more sources you get data from, the better the decisions you can make,” explained Florian Schneeberger, CTO of ABB’s Machine Automation division (B&R). “Yet, while the benefits of digitalization increase with scale, so do the challenges of navigating heterogeneous industrial ecosystems. That’s why interoperability is so crucial to unlocking the full potential of digitalization. It empowers organizations to adopt and scale Industrial IoT solutions at full speed without large teams of IT specialists.”
In March 2024, ABB became a member of the Linux Foundation. This will enable the company to further enhance efforts in promoting open community collaboration, helping unlock innovation and enable better products and experiences for customers. This further strengthens ABB’s commitment to open standard based systems.
