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Adult electrician builder engineer testing and screwing equipment in fuse box and repairing of modern electricity power station

Decoupling of hardware and software allows for standardized automation applications to run across IT and OT hardware platforms

Modern workplace with remote work interface

Data Acquisition & Monitoring

Remote monitoring and diagnostics require security

Jeremy Pollard

System access for monitoring, control and diagnostics must include protections

U.S. government taxation or tariff concept

Financials

What do Trump's tariffs mean for machine builders and system integrators?

How can new tariffs rattle supply chains? Test your knowledge with this quiz

Low Angle Shot In Fully Working Data Center IT Engineer Installs Hard Drive into Server Rack

Development Platforms

Software-designed automation is a mindset change from hardware approach

Mike Bacidore

SDA emphasizes flexible, open-source, universal protocols and agnostic platforms

Update Software Computer Program Upgrade Business technology Internet Concept

Industrial PCs

How software updates impact industrial PCs

Joey Stubbs

Work with IT departments to avoid firmware and driver incompatibility and to meet regulations and standards

United States and Canada flags, two flags waving on sky background

Financials

How North American machine builders can survive tariff talk

Jeremy Pollard

What impact will US tariffs have on automation trade with Canada?

Flowchart of a possible DesignOps workflow that, on the one hand, needs software-defined automation (SDA) to work and also enables a wider adoption of SDA.

Development Platforms

Agentic AI needs SDA to bring a faster pace and more innovation to the world of automation

Mike Bacidore

Acceleer founder Davy Demeyer: software-defined automation will enable speed, scalability and flexibility to applications

Rotary encoder use to detect the potition of motor

Encoders

What is the function of an encoder?

What is an encoder, and how do they convert mechanical movement into electrical code?

University of Wisconsin Engine Research Center. Photo: ACS

Development Platforms

Software-defined automation expands its range and penetration

Mike Bacidore

ACS’ Roy Krans explains how SDA reduces reliance on proprietary hardware, enables remote monitoring and updates, speeds deployment and supports machine learning

XTS linear product transport. Courtesy of Beckhoff USA.

Electromechanical

Adaptive automation provides machine application flexibility

Tobey Strauch

Beckhoff XTS shortens changeover times and reduces equipment footprint

Data Acquisition & Monitoring

MxD unveils 5G network security for smart manufacturing

Betacom and Siemens launch private 5G network platform for Industry 4.0 adoption through hands-on technology demonstration center in Chicago

Closeup of rotary encoder on gradient background

Encoders

What is an encoder?

Tobey Strauch

How encoders convert mechanical movement to electrical code

Products

Time-Sensitive Networking

Balluff networking block

Galco Industrial Electronics

March 5, 2025

The Balluff BNI004F networking block is a rugged, high-performance I/O solution for industrial Ethernet/IP systems. With eight M12 connection slots supporting 16 configurable ...

I/O

IDEC coupler module

IDEC

March 4, 2025

IDEC introduces the SX8R Bus Coupler module for deploying I/O modules, in support of the industry design trend of using smaller, decentralized control panels to simplify installations...

Drives

SEW-Eurodrive WES series stainless steel drives

SEW-EURODRIVE, Inc.

March 3, 2025

SEW-Eurodrive’s WES series stainless steel gear unit is a compact, hygienic drive designed to run cool, even under continuous operation. The WES series integrates SpiroPlan...