Achieving process optimisation while controlling (cutting) costs is a constant challenge for all manufacturers, especially in the food manufacturing sector. For example, frequently varying recipes, a huge diversity of ingredients, different textures and specific filling levels places high demands on process systems, in some cases pushing conventional instruments and components to their limits.

IO-Link is a breakthrough technology that has achieved rapid and widespread acceptance over the past five years and helped ‘join the dots’ for many industrial processes working towards Industry 4.0.

Whilst many people would probably be familiar with the Carlsberg advertising slogan from earlier days they may not appreciate the history and scale of today’s Carlsberg brewing operation.

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and their smaller cousins Automated Guided Carts (AGCs) promise to free more production environments from the slavery of fixed lines, conveyors and linear processes and make workflows more flexible.

Robots are becoming increasingly independent and are able to tackle more complex tasks. Laser profile sensors play a crucial role in ensuring that robots move safely, as well as precisely guiding and locating their positions.

Ashwoods Electric Motors is a developer and manufacturer of advanced and innovative electric motors, produced on a large scale. In 2017, Ashwoods increased its workforce twofold and secured new premises with a new testing facility, equipped with multiple dynamometers where the motors are tested according to heavy-duty pre-set cycles, which are used for validation and performance testing.

The exact and efficient transfer of samples in extremely small dosing volumes is essential in the life sciences industry. For this purpose, INTEGRA Biosciences AG developed a compact pipetting robot called ASSIST PLUS that draws and pipettes samples into the target container.

The Industry 4.0 revolution is enabling a new generation of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) for use in the first wave of smart manufacturing and distribution facilities.