Can You Mix Old and New Components?

People tend to assume that old components won’t be compatible with new ones. Like the new components are all morally corrupt and listen to rock and roll at full volume, while the old components tell stories about things that don’t exist anymore, eat meals at strange times, and constantly look for their keys. Really, you… Read more »

AI Regulation Consensus

Senator Chuck Schumer reported that all the tech giants in the government meeting on AI regulation were in agreement that government regulation for AI is a necessity. Schumer and 60 senators met with Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai , and many more technology and information industry leaders. According to CNN,… Read more »

Indramat DKC Manual

“Check the manual” is the universal “step 1”. When you have a question, or you’re trying to fix a problem, your product manual is always the first place you should look. This is true whether you’re trying to figure out what type of headlamp bulb your car uses, how to program your fitness tracker, or… Read more »

Replacement Indramat Drive Manuals

An Indramat troubleshooting guide is kind of like a fire extinguisher. It’s something that you’re pretty sure you have, but you couldn’t swear that you’d be able to find it if you need it. The only time you would ever look for it is when you have a potentially serious problem on your hands after… Read more »

What to Do When Your Indramat Servo Motor Isn’t Moving

Clearly something is wrong if your servo motor isn’t moving. That goes without saying. Indramat servos are built to work reliably with little to no maintenance for years at a time. Of course, if you’ve neglected your servos since they were installed back in the 1980’s, they’re long overdue for some TLC. Here’s what you… Read more »

AI Wearables in the Factory

AI holds plenty of promise for manufacturing, but getting from abstract promise to actual use cases may take a while. One way AI can play a significant role in enhancing workplace safety in factories is by working with personal wearables to identify and ameliorate hazardous conditions and habits. Here’s how this can be achieved: Data… Read more »

Is Your Robot Server a Gimmick?

61 Chili’s restaurants have been testing a robot server known fondly as Rita the Robot. Most of then are firing Rita. Bear Robotics, the makers of Rita, call the basic model Servi. It’s a self-driving rolling cart that can speak and sing in a high, perky voice. Chili’s human workers say that Rita is not… Read more »

Are We Through Being Scared of Factory Automation?

One thing is clear when you browse internet headlines about manufacturing, factory automation, or industrial robots. Humanity is doomed. Well, the human workforce is doomed, anyway. Most headlines about factory automation center around the marvelous capabilities of factory robots and the fact that man can’t compete with machine. However, an increasing number of these headlines… Read more »

Manufacturing and the Metaverse

The current trends in tech talk are focusing on artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, and humanoid robots. They are more thrilling than the AR and VR experiences that were energizing the conversations about the metaverse. But the metaverse may be more relevant for manufacturing right now. What’s the metaverse? The term “metaverse” refers to a… Read more »

Replacing Manuals for Indramat Products

Whether you started out with a paper copy or a digital Indramat manual, there’s a good chance it’s now lost. Many of the Indramat systems running today were installed twenty or thirty years ago. People lose glasses, keys, and things that they use every day; hanging on to a project planning manual or troubleshooting guide… Read more »