Industry 4.0 and the industrial internet of things (IIoT) are more than just buzzwords. The reality of these highly touted terms is a culmination of technologies that are quickly redefining the way we look at manufacturing. Instead of putting noses to grindstones, today’s factory workers are putting fingers to tablets and utilizing a slew of…
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In a recent article for Network World, contributor Fredric Paul called predictive maintenance the “gateway drug” to the industrial internet of things (IIoT). His thesis is simple: Factories need to start digitizing, but they’re not sure where to begin. Predictive maintenance is a concept that’s easy to understand, valuable to operations, and relatively easy to…
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Ultrasonic equipment is a staple in many factory settings, used in a variety of applications such as density testing or flaw detection. But if the ultrasound equipment itself isn’t working properly, it nullifies the efforts of the person using it. As a result, all types of issues can go undetected because of a faulty ultrasonic…
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Hydraulic pumps are at the core of many essential factory operations. Unfortunately, there are numerous pitfalls to plan for, mitigate, and overcome to keep them running. Keeping up on routine maintenance is important, but the best way factory techs can avail themselves of costly, frustrating breakdowns is to understand the various catalysts for hydraulic pump…
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One of the most common troubleshooting techniques whenever a piece of electrical equipment is acting up, especially in computing, is simply turning the power off and back on. This is called power cycling and can definitely fix a lot of issues. But can this act damage your machine and cause further issues? The answer is…
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It is undeniable that happier employees are better employees. When you have happier manufacturing company employees, they work harder, better and more carefully, with less turnover, fewer accidents and increased productivity. Here are 10 keys to encouraging manufacturing employee happiness: Show Appreciation Showing appreciation for your manufacturing employees generally offers by far the highest ROI…
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Efficiency in manufacturing is that goal all companies strive for to reduce downtime, save on costs, get the most out of employees and meet deadlines. Whether we’re managing teams, collecting data or looking at efficiency factors across the spectrum, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to running an efficient operation. What if you…
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Measuring the flow of liquid within a pipe is extremely important for a variety of different manufacturing operations. To do this requires an electromagnetic flowmeter. This piece of equipment utilizes Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction to understand flow rates. Data from electromagnetic flowmeters then tie into various processes and procedures. Despite their exceptional function, however,…
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Revolutionary change doesn’t sweep through overnight. It often takes years of slow progression marked by big milestones — until one day a new norm exists. Such is the case with Industry 4.0. We’ve been inching towards it for years now — starting with automation and integrated technologies — but today barriers still exist that keep…
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Our world is a mobile one and increasingly, manufacturing operations are trending that way as well. Managers govern today’s facility floors with tablets and techs service machines with smartphones — technologies that provide on-demand information, wherever it’s needed. More than just being a convenience, these mobile technologies are changing the way manufacturing managers handle facility…
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