62 KEY INSIGHTS AW MAY 2021
Ransomware attacks on manufacturing facilities have proven uniquely effective, as the time-sensitive nature of manufacturing production schedules often renders paying the fee less expensive than losing critical throughput. David Miller on industrial cybersecurity concerns. awgo.to/1176.
Most predictive maintenance software is designed to monitor critical assets, often based on vibration sensor solutions. The critical functions of packaging machinery, however, tend to be under servo control, which does not lend itself to vibration monitoring. Therefore, OEMs are currently using thermal imaging to gather necessary data on servo systems. Kim Overstreet on predictive maintenance applications in packaging machinery. awgo.to/1177.
If the machine stops, so does the OEM’s revenue stream. Since this machines-as-a-service business model aligns the machine builder’s goals with the manufacturer’s, it is expected to become more common. Some manufacturers using this model are already seeing great success from pilot projects, achieving greater uptime and throughput. David Greenfield on manufacturing’s growing acceptance of the “as-a-service” business model. awgo.to/1184.
The goal is to compress the time it takes to build the app by incorporating testing in week one, which is similar to the way video games work by testing what works at the beginning. So even before the robot moves, there is a lot of testing. Stephanie Neil on the advance of intelligent robotics. awgo.to/1179.
Manufacturers are recognizing that standard motors often don’t cut it in food processing environments. These motors cannot stand up to high-temperature, high-pressure cleaning methods prevalent in those environments, nor the caustic chemicals often used. Standard motor and drive designs also provide plenty of food collection points, harboring bacteria and other contaminants. Aaron Hand on the application of motors and drives in the food and beverage industry. awgo.to/1180.
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