Turning data into actionable information is vital to the success of any Industry 4.0 project. Suzanne Gill finds out what data analytic solutions are available today for both process and factory applications and gathers advice about successful integration of these solutions.

Stephen Hayes explains how food processing operations can be more easily reconfigured by adopting automation without cabinets, resulting in machines that can be transported and moved around quickly and easily.

For decades large-scale automation systems have been at the heart of production line control. Today, driven by changes in consumer demands, an alternative plug and produce modular automation approach is emerging, says Ralf Jeske.

Communication networks have changed the look of today’s automation systems by distributing processing, sensors and actuators to where they are required. The ODVA says that CIP Safety provides the same benefits to safety systems. 

Steve Sands explains how and why the digital twin is set to be a key technology for the success of Industry 4.0.

Dr Chris Mills looks at the challenges of testing and calibrating flowmeters used in high pressure and high temperature applications.

Dr Peter Wenzel comments on industrial technology trends and the impact they are having on industrial communication solutions.

To get the most out of data that already exists in the production environment requires cooperation between data scientists and production experts.

Neil Ballinger explores the open source Robot Operating System (ROS), which he believes will become a common language for industrial automation. 

Following the issues posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Jörg Freitag explains how digital remote applications can offer a cost-effective alternative to enable efficient co-operation from a safe distance.

Find out how and why a sandwich producer has successfully integrated robots into its sandwich production line.

Suzanne Gill looks at the effect of the current global pandemic on the manufacturing digitalisation journey.

An electrolytic copper refinery needed to find an efficient way to monitor voltage on more than 700 electrolytic cells used to produce A-grade copper.

Emilie Lerche Fenger and Marco Zampolli explain the importance of a cybersecurity strategy in digital plants.

Notwithstanding the current COVID crisis, other megatrends are having, and will have, an even greater effect on the manufacturers of the future. Nigel Dawson from Festo SE & Co KG discusses how these opportunities can be exploited.

Martyn Williams explains the role of SCADA software in smart factories and argues that hardware-independent software is essential for making the transition to Industry 4.0.

The constant cyber threat is now a fact of life and everyone needs to have an understanding of data protection, argues Rainer Brehm, CEO of Factory Automation at Siemens Digital Industries.

Brushless DC motors are the technology of choice for applications operating at higher speeds. However two different motor architectures can present a selection conundrum, says Madhavan Ramanujam and Cyril Baud.

Control Engineering Europe finds out more about an industrial 5G router for private networks, by speaking to Frank Hakemeyer, director of communication interfaces at Phoenix Contact Electronics.

Tim Faulkner believes that the challenges posed by 2020 have resulted in greater determination from many manufacturers to start their digital journey to ensure they remain competitive.