OPCUA Conference 2015 from the outside looking in.. Why is OPCUA so popular? It sits on ethernet, is a secure client-server object oriented way to expose object data. And now it is open source too. Spike is based on OPCUA and exposes a generic set of data semantics i.e. objects from some well known process […]
Hal Software at Hannover Messe
Hal Software at Hannover Messe 2015 Hal Software exhibited their prototyping solution for process control systems, Spike, at Hannover Messe. Hannover Messe is the world’s biggest trade fair, with over one million square metres of exhibition space, and in 2015 had over 220,000 visitors. In keeping with the continuing globalisation of industry over 70,000 of […]
Industry 4.0 reaches critical mass at Hannover Messe 2015
Industry Experts outline the key challenges facing Industry 4.0 Industry 4.0 is a term used in Germany to describe the complete integration of the Automation component supply chain, custom manufacture & assembly, and customer requirements. This high level of integration may be achieved through the following bedrock of technologies; eClass – An online database of […]
Virtualise this! Engineering design and manufacturing control in the cloud
Manufacturing and Automation control systems in the cloud Engineering design and manufacturing control in the cloud. When Vmware PC virtualisation started to gain traction in the mid noughties amongst the engineering fraternity, it was a godsend. Prior to vmware, engineers were laboured with PC multiboot configuration hell. It was at best, very difficult to set […]
ISA-S88/S95 Software Prototyping 101
Why does prototyping make sense? “Measure twice; cut once.” This old adage is relevant to more than just Carpentry. Automotive companies wouldn’t build a car without first prototyping. Prototyping allows for a ‘hands-on’ feedback opportunity in order to correct errors before going to product manufacture. Almost all industries that produce products routinely use prototyping. One of […]