March 2003Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Access Control & Identity Management
As creators of one of the original fieldbus (CAN), which many others took as a base for their own fieldbus systems or customised versions, Bosch Rexroth has been active in the forefront of the developments in fieldbus communication technology since the very early stages. Not only has it improved its own fieldbus and adapted to the various demands of the different industries, but also incorporated other fieldbus systems into its products and been directly involved in the development of these other fieldbus systems. Today, Bosch Rexroth is known just as well for its range of Profibus and other fieldbus enabled products, as it was for the high-speed CAN bus it first developed in 1986 for the automotive industry.
The philosophy at Bosch Rexroth has always been to keep its products open to communication with other control systems and products, making them more universal and able to integrate with other automation products that may be the end users preference. This has proved itself as particularly practical in the fieldbus environment, where the company has adapted its fieldbus products to talk to almost all the other fieldbus protocols, making it easy to integrate its products into any control system. Bosch Rexroth PLCs for example, have been released for each major fieldbus (CANopen, Profibus-DP, Inter-BUS-S or DeviceNet), enabling the end user to integrate it into an existing system of that particular bus or choose the bus he prefers for a new installation. This has been taken a step further in the development of I/O gateways, which can translate from one fieldbus to another, enabling multi fieldbus communication within one system.
A good example of this was put into practice recently by Flexible Electronic Systems (FES). An existing diamond press system, using Alan Bradley PLCs, where the press was being fed manually, was upgraded through the installation of a Bosch Scara robot to pick and place the blank pellet as well as the finished product. "The Robot's controller, called Rho, uses Profibus-DP whereas the Alan Bradley PLCs use DeviceNet. In order to integrate the robot into the system the two had to exchange certain I/O information. "FES connected a Bosch I/O Gateway to the Alan Bradley DeviceNet chain, and then connected the same I/O Gateway to a Profibus-DP B~IO extension module on the Rho's node chain...and Voila the two were speaking to each other. The more languages you can speak, the better you can understand the world you are in and the easier it will be to succeed wherever you are. Man or PLC, the principle remains the same," said Guenter Schmitz, Director of FES.
Enhancing process efficiency Endress+Hauser South Africa
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
In the ever-evolving landscape of industrial process automation, staying ahead of technological advancements is crucial. The Endress+Hauser FieldPort SWA50 is a game-changer, offering a seamless integration of Bluetooth and WirelessHART communication for HART field devices.
Read more...Providing visibility over critical infrastructure Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Sequence of event recorders or sequence of event monitors play a significant role in monitoring and maintaining critical infrastructure. Gary Bradshaw, director at remote monitoring equipment specialist, Omniflex, outlines the applicable industries and reasons for use.
Read more...Empower individuals to control their biometric data
Information Security Access Control & Identity Management Security Services & Risk Management
What if your biometrics, now embedded in devices, workplaces, and airports, promising seamless access and enhanced security, was your greatest vulnerability in a cyberattack? Cybercriminals are focusing on knowing where biometric data is stored.
Read more...Security industry embraces mobile credentials, biometrics and AI
AI & Data Analytics Access Control & Identity Management Integrated Solutions
As organisations navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape, security leaders are making strategic shifts toward unified platforms and emerging technologies, according to the newly released 2025 State of Security and Identity Report from HID.
Read more...Nice launches DC Blue Astute garage door motor Nice Group South Africa Technews Publishing
News & Events Access Control & Identity Management Perimeter Security, Alarms & Intruder Detection
Nice Systems SA has launched the Nice DC Blue Astute, a garage door motor for the South African market featuring a pre-installed lithium-ion battery instead of traditional lead-acid batteries.
Read more...AI-driven innovations with CCTV and cyber security RJ Connect
Editor's Choice Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
The fast progress of artificial intelligence (AI) and video analytics is redefining the rail surveillance landscape. Advancements have bolstered proactive event detection, predictive maintenance and enhanced situational awareness.
Read more...Compact drive and control technology Beckhoff Automation
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
When custom machine builder Lehnen Industrial Services introduced a filling machine for lip balm, the company was surprised by the amount of interest in this premium system. In order to meet this demand, they decided to standardise the machine. The necessary adaptability is provided by the scalable control technology from Beckhoff.
Read more...Condition monitoring in three axes with smart IO-Link vibration sensor ifm - South Africa
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Machine vibrations are important indicators when it comes to assessing the current condition of a machine. Damage to rolling element bearings and other machine components can be detected at an early stage before costly machine downtime occurs.
Read more...Empower individuals to control their biometric data
Information Security Access Control & Identity Management Security Services & Risk Management
What if your biometrics, now embedded in devices, workplaces, and airports, promising seamless access and enhanced security, was your greatest vulnerability in a cyberattack? Cybercriminals are focusing on knowing where biometric data is stored.
printer friendly version