Topic: Control Software

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Controllers: More of Everything
The List of User Requirements Continues to Grow Longer

Machine Safety Risk Assessment
Software and Online Tools to Help You Better Understand EN ISO 13849-1's Calculations

Buckle Up With Built in Safety
Machine Builders Include Preventive Safety Early in the Design — And Get Paid Back Sooner

End Users' Needs Inspire Machine Builder's Inventions
Spartanics Celebrates 50 Years Providing Leading Solutions to Customers

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White Papers: In Depth Research

Why Migrate Legacy Control Systems?
Author: Honeywell
Posted: 04/08/2013
Every distributed control system (DCS) at some point requires upgrading to ensure reliable operation and to leverage the latest technology. However, justifying automation projects today is extraordinarily difficult — any system being replaced must provide a superior business value proposition.

A well-planned and executed migration to a modern control system not only improves plant availability and reliability, but can also provide a more flexible production platform. Flexibility is the key battleground on which companies seeking to make the most of business opportunities will thrive.

Honeywell offers a wide range of migration options for control systems. These migration solutions are designed to provide access to up-to-date technology without having to "rip and replace" the entire legacy hardware and software system.

With Honeywell's investment protection strategy, plants continue to operate and be supported on their legacy equipment. In this white paper, learn how the transition to new technology can be executed with practically no change to physical wiring and intellectual property. The availability of multiple controllers on a single network also provides freedom of choice for new installations or upgrades.

3D Printing With FDM
Author: Joe Hiemenz, Stratasys
Posted: 12/24/2012
A 3D printer is a machine that creates objects from plastic or other materials using an additive manufacturing process. Additive manufacturing produces objects in a succession of layers from the bottom, up. This is the opposite of traditional subtractive manufacturing processes, which produce objects by cutting material away from a block to create the shape desired. A 3D printer simplifies and accelerates the process of making prototypes and finished goods. The 3D printing process is so easy and yet so powerful that both home-based businesses and Fortune 500 companies count on it. Installations range from a single machine in a hobbyist's basement to manufacturing centers with dozens of systems.

How does a 3D printer work? Beginning with computer-aided design (CAD) data, which defines a tool path, the 3D printer extrudes and deposits molten thermoplastic in layers to build the part from the bottom up. This makes very complex parts easy to produce.

Stratasys manufactures several lines of machines, including 3D printers and their big brothers, 3D production systems (or production 3D printers). This includes the product lines Dimension, uPrint and Fortus, as well as Hewlett Packard's Designjet line. At the core of each system is fused deposition modeling (FDM). Stratasys FDM machines create functional parts by extruding and depositing thermoplastic materials in layers.

This white paper walks you step-by-step through the FDM process.

Maplesoft Software Used in Advanced Engineering Research
Author: Maplesoft
Posted: 11/27/2012
Engineering researchers must not only develop models quickly, but they also require in-depth analytical tools to help them understand on a fundamental level the intricacies of their models. Fortunately, tools like MapleSimTM and MapleTM, from Maplesoft, are available to researchers to aid in their model development and analysis.

With MapleSim, researchers can quickly develop their models and can gain insight into their systems' behaviors. Researchers at many academic institutions have adopted MapleSim, advanced physical modeling software from Maplesoft, as a key tool in their engineering research activities.

This white paper illustrates how engineering researchers are making significant strides in their work with the help of Maplesoft technology. It highlights the work of six researchers from around the world, and discusses such diverse projects as space rovers, humanoid robots, parallel manipulators, golf clubs, and electric and hybrid-electric vehicle batteries.

Gaining a Strategic Edge Through Interdisciplinary CAE Software
Author: ePlan
Posted: 11/20/2012
For many years, using computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) systems has raised the productivity of the individual engineer. Now, these legacy systems have been eclipsed by a new concept: database-centric, interdisciplinary CAE systems. These powerful tools are spearheading transformative change in engineering workflows, product design and order fulfillment. Companies embracing the full potential of these advanced systems are realizing efficiencies worth tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

While legacy CAE systems function as standalone tools for a single discipline, database-centric systems support multiple disciplines on the same platform so electrical, fluid power and instrumentation and process control engineers can share data, even work collaboratively. Users can transfer data in real-time to mechanical engineers or controls software developers or send it via their company's enterprise system to the sales, purchasing, production and service departments. Furthermore, these powerful CAE systems can store and reuse vast amounts of recurrent data, encouraging companies to standardize as much product content as possible to maximize productivity, ensure error-free outcomes, shorten order turnaround times, and better manage costs through the entire order fulfillment process.

This white paper discusses how a new generation of CAE tools built on a powerful central data backbone has been shown to deliver overall engineering cost savings by measurably improving data quality, design efficiency and time-to-market.

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