Live from Automation Fair 2022

Headlines from Monday, Nov. 14

PlantPAx advances digitalization, staffing and sustainability

Rockwell Automation's Jim Winter and Dave Rapini delivered the keynote address, kicking off Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) by sharing how PlantPAx helps users overcome challenges like sustainability and digitalization. Read more.

The trends shaping tomorrow’s industrial facilities

Sustainability, digital transformation and flexible manufacturing will shape the process industries’ investments for many years to come, according to a panel of industry experts who kicked off the Process Solutions Users Group in this week’s run up to Automation Fair 2022. Read more.

E Tech Group delivers batch controls for meat cultivation

“All the different building blocks come together in a standard hierarchy.” Anees Chamarty, together with Cassy Gardner of E Tech Group, explains how Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx platform provides the flexibility to automate a new pilot plant for meat cultivation. Read more.

Triangle Packaging innovates to differentiate

“Customers are willing to pay for quality machines that last for 30 years.” Triangle Package’s N’gai Merrill explained how the company has benefitted from its longstanding partnership with Rockwell Automation during a tour of the machine-building company's manufacturing plant in Chicago. Read more.

Smart milking: Modern dairy redefines efficiency with PlantPAx

“For the 400 employees at this facility, we are redefining what farming looks like.” Automation Werx’ Nick Reichelt explained how the company helped Millenkamp Cattle dramatically streamline milking processes at the organization’s Jerome, Idaho, facility. Read more.

Headlines from Tuesday, Nov. 15

Simplification and ingenuity lead industry forward

“With the pandemic, everything changed overnight.” Rockwell Automation’s Blake Moret recalled the complications of COVID-19 and how they were overcome when he kicked off Perspectives during the run up to Automation Fair. Read more.

Harness the power of innovation to deliver value

"We have to help customers focus on improving performance and production by using new technology.” Rockwell Automation's Cyril Perducat explained how the company helps customers become more agile and resilient through the application of relevant technologies. Read more.

Finding success in a post-pandemic world

“We’ve never been more well equipped and more enabled to succeed by the technology we have to leverage.” Rockwell Automation’s Tessa Myers outlined three trends being adopted in industry to “power growth for what’s next." Read more.

Myriad solutions for net-zero goals

“We are looking internally and at the whole ecosystem of industry." Rockwell Automation’s Pete Morrell, along with colleague Tom O’Reilly, explained how the company is working toward its own sustainability goals while helping its clients reach theirs, too. Read more.

Cloud-based solutions offer speed and agility

“It's a completely new generation of pure cloud software for programming our automation systems.” Rockwell Automation’s Brian Shepherd announced new FactoryTalk features designed to unlock data’s potential. Read more.

Headlines from Wednesday, Nov. 16

Digitalization drives sustainability success

Rockwell Automation's customers shared how they have found success in maneuvering the often confusing and difficult path to net-zero targets. Read more.

Rockwell releases high-availability, software-configurable I/O

“The FLEXHA 5000 allows us to push into the process industries." Rockwell Automation’s Armand Prezioso demonstrated the new FLEXHA 5000 configurable I/O platform, which was released at Automation Fair. Read more.

Pharmaceuticals swallow the digital-transformation pill

“You can’t move it all at once. But here’s where technology can really help us solve that true problem.” A panel from the life sciences shared lessons learned on their digital journeys. Read more.

Water industry takes the plunge on modernization

“Once we get the data in, we make better decisions, and it gives people the seed of an idea that they want more. Once this process gets started, it’s fun to see it grow." Panelists from the water/wastewater industry discussed digitalization in the industry and the responsibilities it brings. Read more.

Pedal down—accelerating digitalization of the auto industry

“The data we get off of electric vehicles is immense—for monitoring, for maintenance, for performance optimization to validate quality claims." Panelists from the automotive and tire industry discussed how digitalization is critical for accessing and modifying data to improve processes. Read more.

Headlines from Thursday, Nov. 17

Labor looks different in the food & beverage industry

“We want the information to come up safely into the cloud and ping us. Those things are going to evolve.” Pearson Packaging’s Andrea Zaman explained how digitalization will empower workers in the food & beverage industry. Read more.

Defining the oil & gas industry digital journey

“As the stakeholders come up with needs, we’re figuring out what technologies are available for those needs.” Oil and gas industry leaders discussed how digitalization has evolved and what it means for the industry today. Read more.

The chemical industry’s path from modernization to digitalization

Panelists from the chemical industry discussed the urgency with which chemical manufacturers need to update aging technology while also meeting environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, and adopting new digital technologies to thwart cyber-threats. Read more.

Pulp & paper industry writes a digitalized future

“Now, the mills that are still open have a lot of obsolete, proprietary equipment, and the need to incorporate more automation is even greater.” Pulp & paper industry panelists discussed the need to increase automation, digitalization and data analytics in papermaking. Read more.

Mining industry leverages technology to optimize production

Mining industry panelists shared how they've benefitted from modernizing aging control systems and how the industry can be more sustainable by taking a second look at traditional grinding technologies. Read more.

Feedwater plant upgrade relies on PlantPAx

“The boiler feedwater upgrade reduced the time that operations and maintenance spent on troubleshooting by 60%.” Teng’s Glen Rycroft shared the substantial benefits Teng Inc. realized on behalf of its clients with a recent system upgrade to PlantPAx. Read more.

The tools, tactics and talent transforming manufacturing

"It all has to be about productivity—making us more efficient, more productive. These things like cloud and AI and robots give us a fighting chance over the next 10 to 15 years.” Plex Systems' Jerry Foster and Rockwell's David Vasko explained how innovative technologies are boosting productivity. Read more.

Cenovus Energy unifies operations with integrated control center

"Looking back, the trial was extremely beneficial,” Cenovus Energy’s Riley Pashniak explained how the company unified operations across four of its sites in an Integrated Control Center before bringing in the other eight. Read more.

Three keys to the future of automation

“We believe that a more powerful tomorrow is within sight.” Rockwell Automation’s Matheus Bulho and Dan DeYoung discussed how simpler, integrated automation development environments could help users react more quickly to changing customer demands and reduce overall risk to workers and production. Read more.

PlantPAx teamed with iPads eliminates control room for food processor ICL

“No department wanted to be the reason why the project was delayed.” ICL’s David Kaltwasser shared details of his operation’s deadline-driven implementation of PlantPAx, which eliminated its need for a control room. Read more.