Around the Industry

Human error is inevitable, but it is not uncontrollable. Many steps can be taken to reduce the risk of human error in the workplace. For the Construction and Engineering sector, these methods can be the difference between a completed project and a stalled process. It can also be the difference between a project going off without a hitch and one that results in injury.

  A Europe-wide survey of over 200 manufacturers with more than 500 employees shows that deployment of Smart Factory initiatives is currently running at around 63% and is set to grow rapidly over the next five years. The remaining 37% identify as being in the 'planning stage'.

ProGlove, in collaboration with Samsung Electronics America has announced a combined product solution to address the growing need for wearable scanners in industries ranging from retail, transportation, logistics, and manufacturing. The combined solution consists of ProGlove’s MARK product family of wearable barcode scanners and Samsung’s latest ruggedised smartphone for business - the Galaxy XCover Pro - providing enterprise users with a seamless, secure flow of information, enabling consistent traceability and increased user comfort. 

A new state-of-the-nation study into how businesses in the engineering industry are prepared for Brexit, has revealed a staggering 34% of businesses believe the process of exiting the EU is currently having a positive impact on their business, while 21% feel it hasn’t had any impact at all.

Schneider Electric has extended its product range to help contractors comply with the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations. The 18th Edition, which came into force in January 2019, sets out to increase the safety of electrical installations. To support electrical contractors with the increasing requirements, Schneider Electric has invested in a portfolio of connected products which enable electrical faults to be identified prior to them becoming a costly and potentially dangerous scenario.

Britain was the birthplace of the industrial revolution, but the nation’s manufacturing future is often blighted by Brexit woes. Here, Lee Sullivan, regional sales manager at COPA-DATA UK, gives his prediction for the future of manufacturing in Britain and why. during 2020, the country must invest in technology to join the fourth industrial revolution.

5G is about to lift industrial automation to new heights. Of course the next generation of cellular communications technology will further fuel the trend of connecting a factory’s operational technology (OT) - its machines, control systems, power infrastructure, local and remote control software - with its information technology (IT) systems - the communication network, the enterprise resource planning system, the cloud, and so on. But beyond that, it will fundamentally change the way people work in, and think about, industrial automation.

Two programmable logic controller (PLC) starter packs from industrial automation specialist Allen-Bradley, part of the Rockwell Automation group, are in stock at RS Components. The Micro850 and Micro820 Starter Packs contain all the hardware needed to get up and running with the Allen-Bradley Micro850 and Micro820 PLCs, respectively, including power supplies (PSU), controller accessories and graphic terminals.

Conrad Electronic is marking the New Year with weekly deals in the field of automation technology as well as providing various application case studies for innovative product solutions that will increase efficiency and save costs.

Manufacturing recruitment specialists Clarico are advising businesses to adopt digital recruitment techniques in 2020 or risk never hiring top talent again. Russell Metcalf, who officially took over as managing director last week, has fired the warning after overseeing an overhaul of Clarico's strategy as it continues to expand its influence and impact in global manufacturing recruitment.