Industrial Automation Blog

Swiveling switches

In every system with pluggable connections, connecting and disconnecting are weak spots. While a wrong power connection usually shows up soon with some system failure or other, defective data connections are more difficult to diagnose. In case you've been wondering why there are still new types of connectors being developed and existing ones improved: it definitely makes sense.

Repeating light

Today, fibre-optics based on polymer optical fibres - POF- are increasingly being used, not only because they are immune to electromagnetic interference but because they are also able to meet the demands of automated applications for greater data volumes. However, these fibres are subject to a natural aging process, which successively increases fibre attenuation. That in turn increases the need for exact diagnostics of the transmission path.

Japan: News from Distributors

European and international distributors offer online information about the delivery and supply situation regarding their Japanese linecards.

Ethernet in plastic

Industrial automation is very fertile ground for all kinds of »standards« and »norms«, many of them set by single companies and completely incompatible to others. This has actually changed a bit over the last decade, but there still are many proprietary issues around. Other than in former times, in the more diverse ecosystem of today’s industrial automation, it has become crucial for a »standard« to be accepted widely.

CAD-access to components

Zuken has launched the "Component Manufacturer Alliance Program E³.series" that enables users of E³.series electrical CAD software to access commercial and technical component data for components. Members of the alliance include Siemens, U.I.Lapp, Wago Kontakttechnik and the appointed Harting Technology Group.

Get connected

In order to satisfy the market needs, Erni Electronics has expanded its ERbic family of field bus connectors for Profibus, CAN and SafetyBus with a new CAN component. The ERbic CANbus connectors are based on the Type 8 D-Sub connector. In addition, housing dimensions have been reduced to a more compact design.