Industrial Automation

Industrial automation includes systems, controls, machinery and components working to improve the efficiency of manufacturing processes. Here you'll find articles on everything from the software to the systems that help make factories more efficient.

More Speed with IO-Link: Five Practical Tips for Engineers

Thomas Langer, project manager of connectivity at Baumer, explored some of their technology’s lesser-known benefits. This technical report uses practical examples to show how users can make the most of digital interface benefits. Read More

Ethernet-Ready AC Microdrive

Yaskawa America's new GA501 AC drive includes embedded dual-port Ethernet capability and the ability to connect via EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP/IP, EtherCAT, BACnet/IP, or MECHATROLINK-4. The drive also comes with standard DIN rail mounting for up to 7.5 HP, and spring-tension I/O terminals. With support for all major industrial Ethernet protocols and topologies, the GA501 eliminates the need for additional hardware, reduces installation time, and simplifies system design. Read More

MODEX 2026

MODEX is where manufacturing and supply chain professionals come together. Organizer MHI calls the event the world’s largest supply chain experience. From hands‑on product demonstrations to one-on-one meetings and a conference with four keynotes and nearly 200 sessions, visitors to MODEX 2026 can see the latest equipment and technology, learn the latest trends, connect with key suppliers and make strategic capital equipment buying decisions. Read More

Parker Servo Update Focuses on Intelligent Drives

Parker Hannifin announced a significant software release for its PSD servo drive family, focused on “Intelligent Drive.” The release delivers new control modes, advanced synchronization functions and performance optimizations designed to improve throughput, accuracy and system efficiency in demanding industrial applications. Read More

Beyond the Cable Run: Industrial PoE Solutions Built for the Remote Edge

Remote industrial applications such as oil fields and mining operations rarely enjoy comprehensive infrastructural support. Whether operating outside, temporary, or running lean, these operations need solutions that can work outside the fully optimized and controlled environment of a fully operational factory in the heart of a city. Antaira has a solution. Read More

ASRock Releases New System Management Software, AiSMA

ASRock has moved to support their IoT controller line, the Industrial Robust Edge AIoT Platform, with a new software suite that runs on Redfish. AiSMA, their new system management software, is a straightforward method for existing customers to tackle system security and management, as well as an important signal that they will actively continue to support their products with value-added software. Read More

NORD Introduces Digital Twin Capabilities

NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has introduced digital twins for system development. This innovative technology allows engineers to verify early in the planning process whether the drive concept is suitable for the system, even complex systems, significantly reducing the project timeline and achieving greater efficiency and availability. Read More

IDS Receives Trumpf Supplier Award for Innovation

After developing a new modular camera platform and “flexible technology architecture,” IDS received an award for excellence from tech client Trumpf for going “above and beyond the everyday.” Read More

Decoupling Automation Software from Hardware

For decades, Foxboro DCS has served as the "brain" of many industrial operations, enabling real-time control and coordination of complex processes. But today's landscape demands more – greater agility, fewer costly upgrades, and simplified compliance. To answer those needs, Schneider Electric has introduced EcoStruxure Foxboro Software-Defined Automation to deliver flexibility, scalability and cost efficiency without sacrificing reliability. Read More

Nord To Feature Mainline Electric Motors and Gear Units at GEAPS Exchange 2026

Nord gave a brief preview of what they'll be bringing to GEAPS Exchange 2026, a prominent trade show for the grain industry in North America. Their Maxxdrive line of high torque gear units will be front and center at their booth. Accompanying them will be several helical bevel gear units, electric motors, and a screw conveyor package, all highly customizable to tackle various environmental conditions. Read More

Rockwell Automation Software to Power EV Manufacturing Facility

Lucid will deploy Rockwell Automation's enterprise software solutions, including its FactoryTalk manufacturing execution system (MES) software, to manage and optimize production operations, including general assembly, paint, stamping, body, and powertrain at the company's expanding Saudi Arabia facility. Read More

New Report Says Manufacturers Are Not Well Prepared for AI

Redwood Software released the results of a global survey of 300 manufacturing professionals, revealing a growing automation gap in manufacturing. While most manufacturers have invested heavily in operational technology (OT), engineering technology (ET) and information technology (IT) automation and are eager to adopt AI, the majority remain trapped in mid-stage automation maturity. Many automate tasks or processes in individual systems while critical workflows, data flows and exception handling remain fragmented and manual. Read More

Yokogawa Introduces OpreX A8 Intelligent Edge Controllers

The semiconductor manufacturing industry continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, driven by rapidly increasing precision requirements and growing system complexity. As equipment configurations and control targets diversify, engineers are often required to modify or completely rewrite control software to accommodate new specifications or design changes. Because traditional controllers tightly couple software behavior to hardware, even small adjustments can lead to lengthy redevelopment cycles, slowing innovation and delaying equipment rollout. To overcome these limitations, Yokogawa has introduced a mechanism that enables software development centered on data rather than hardware dependencies. This architecture allows the control software to seamlessly absorb variations in equipment design, functionality, and operating conditions. Read More

Latest Embedded PCs from Beckhoff Enable More Complex Automation and Control

Beckhoff's latest embedded PCs offer multi-core CPUs, increased memory and 1Gbit interface to offer more computing power for ultra-compact controls for complex automation tasks. Read More

New Servo Drive Opens New Possibilities for AI, Predictive Maintenance

The new ACOPOS M4 from B&R combines is designed for challenges such as predictive maintenance, scalability and machine performance. A new embedded system enables the implementation of predictive maintenance, allowing problems to be detected before they lead to costly errors. In addition, the ACPOPOS M4 provides compatibility with the open-source OPC UA FX protocol for a secure key technology for industrial communication networks, enabling real-time communication in the industrial environment. Read More

Stainless Electromechanical Axes from Festo Suited for Cleanroom Automation

High rigidity and high guide load capacity combine with powerful drive elements to offer high feed forces and accelerations for shorter cycle times and a long service life in the new ELGD axis family from Festo. A stainless steel cover strip is friction-free on the outside and does not allow any particles to form there, making the ELGD axes suitable for use in cleanrooms and future-oriented industries such as renewable energies, the production of electric vehicles, the manufacture of batteries and the semiconductor industry. Read More

Rockwell Automation Opens New Season of ROKStudios Video Series

Rockwell Automation's ROKStudios video series features exclusive interviews with customers, partners and other thought leaders on digitalization, sustainability and the evolving role of automation in shaping the future of industrial operations. Read More

Emerson Updates Mobile SCADA App

Today’s most efficient and effective teams need more robust mobile applications and a user-friendly interface to allow them to do more from anywhere. The redesigned mobile app for DeltaV SaaS SCADA is designed to give operators and technicians the control and clarity they need to be effective in the field, without the need to drag a laptop along with them. Read More

Schaeffler Highlights Automation Solutions at CES 2026

Schaeffler presented its comprehensive motion technology portfolio at the Consumer Electronics Show 2026 (CES) beginning January 6 in Las Vegas. The exhibition highlights intelligent motion components and systems that address key industry challenges across humanoid robotics, energy generation, industrial automation, and vehicle technology. Read More