E. Scott Anderson

👉 Check out this new webpage containing MATLAB and Simulink Resources for students. This page includes helpful links to tutorials, documentation, examples, cheat sheets, and more! https://spr.ly/6048gObOj

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I have Been working on some UDTs for Asset and Equipment Modeling in Ignition. I started out as an educational endeavor to learn ISA95 Part 2 and evolved from there to encompass some of the specific needs around the Controls layer and Interfacing with existing PLCs. The goal quickly became to find a way to consistently model and clean the data that already existed inside the PLCs. I started out with some of the Common Object Models, specifically: 1. Equipment 2. Asset 3. Material 4. Personnel   From there I started mapping the Ignition Tags to PLC Tags and noticed that we needed a few more fields to make the PLC interaction easier. So, I added some UDTS for Raw Values, some State and Mode enumeration, Duration,  as well as Scaling. Added them into the hierarchy and this is where it brought me. I guess the real question is… Is this something that people would find valuable if I were to clean it up? The plan would be to submit it to the Ignition Exchange and make it publicly available. Let me know what you think, Should I put it on the shelf or finish it up? #Ignition #ISA95 #Controls

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🚀Revisiting some past solutions. 🚀 I cleaned up the old L5X Routine Replicator. A while back I threw together a quick service that created any number of duplicates for a routine exported from a Logix controller. Combining these duplicated routines into a single new program inside of an L5X file that can be imported back into the PLC. At the time, it saved around 40 hours on the project, saving not only the time to copy paste but also the time to debug and troubleshoot the inevitable typos. We had over 150 assets of only 5 different types, this allowed us to create the last 145 assets in under an hour. Well, I went back over it, refactoring the backend and overhauling the frontend. Finally, I created a Dockerfile for easier deployment and pushed it up to github for anyone who is curious to check it out. https://lnkd.in/gargxXri #PLC #Automation #Python #Efficiency #Coding

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From 'We need to dismantle it to see the problem' to ‘Just check the PdM analysis' —the evolution of work in one “brainy” meme if you know what I mean.. 🧠 Starting with manual labor, moving through basic automation, leveling up with advanced robotics, and finally reaching the pinnacle with AI-driven predictive maintenance. Because who needs to sweat when your robot can predict a breakdown before it happens? 😂 #BrainUpgrade #AutomationLOL #RobotsFTW #AIWizardry #FutureOfWork #EliteAutomation

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Becoming a Roboticist with Dr. John Vial – Navigation Today I enabled a few more ROS2 topics in our visualization tool RViz. We added local and global Cost Maps. These maps are configured to provide information to the robot so it can plot a course to a desired location. You can see in the video, lower screen, there is a gradient from black to white on top of the map. White areas are clear of obstacles, then as the gradient gets darker there is a higher chance (cost) that it will collide with an obstacle. The second set of topics are global and local plans. I gave the robot an endpoint and an end direction to face, the large Green Arrow. Then the navigation plots the green path (plan) based on the cost map information to avoid hitting obstacles. The smaller local red path is the robot's planned path to back to the green path. Have a look at the video snippet.

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NI (now part of Emerson) provides software-connected automated test and measurement systems. They used fine-tuning to adapt GPT-4 to their graphical programming language (LabVIEW), which was not part of the base model's original training data: “With GPT-4 fine-tuning, we were able to improve our AI's ability to understand and generate LabVIEW code, at least twice as well on internal metrics than the best prompt engineering, open-source fine-tuned models, or highly sophisticated retrieval augmentation systems we have experimented with, even those built on top of base GPT 4 Turbo. This fine-tuned model has significantly faster response times, is easier to operate, and is more cost effective when deployed at scale. We are excited at what appears to be possible with models such as GPT 4 and their ability to fine tune and layer on additional techniques.” - Alejandro Barreto, Chief Software Engineer, Technology and Innovation Office https://ow.ly/1gCa30sCMwc

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#MicroLogix TAB Tip 01: We unbox a MicroLogix 1000 in this episode of #TheAutomationMinute -> https://lnkd.in/gTiDjKWX #Automation #RockwellAutomation #TheAutomationBlog

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#Micro800 TAB Tip 09: We take a first look at Micro800 Plug-in Modules in this episode of #TheAutomationMinute -> https://lnkd.in/gUS_QyHw #Automation #RockwellAutomation #TheAutomationBlog

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From 'We need to dismantle it to see the problem' to ‘Just check the PdM analysis' —the evolution of work in one “brainy” meme if you know what I mean.. 🧠 Starting with manual labor, moving through basic automation, leveling up with advanced robotics, and finally reaching the pinnacle with AI-driven predictive maintenance. Because who needs to sweat when your robot can predict a breakdown before it happens? 😂 #BrainUpgrade #AutomationLOL #RobotsFTW #AIWizardry #FutureOfWork #EliteAutomation

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#ControlLogix TAB Tip 17: Learn why ControlFlash may not find your ControlLogix Firmware Files here -> https://lnkd.in/gm7qKRRm #Automation #RockwellAutomation #TheAutomationBlog

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Excellent install this week for Russell Logic! This automation redesign of an existing line was a fun one. Separating an operation from the main line presented an excellent opportunity for some automation upgrades. We were able to utilize an existing DENSO VS-6556-W robot for an upgraded load robot from the old UR-10E, which enabled us to increase cycle times. Utilizing my simulation from WINCAPS III software allowed us to hit the ground running once power was on. We upgraded the Denso RC8A controller to Ethernet IP from its old discrete comms and created a custom, seamless AOI and UDTs for simplicity in the PLC commands to and from the Robot. This, plus endless IO back and forth really expanded our capabilities with this robot. (Denso AOI and UDT available upon request for MiniIO and Ethernet IP.) Safety was upgraded as well from some messy safety relays to a KEYENCE CORPORATION GC-1000 Safety PLC, utilizing the S1R relay output expansions to satisfy the Robot and our PowerFlex 525 VFD's. We did away with gates and utilized a Keyence SZ-01S area scanner (God I love the SZ's) for the Robot Area, which talked seamlessly to the GC-1000 over GC Link. Being separated from the main line, we ran a Rockwell Automation 5069-L330ERM PLC for this cell which allowed for some long overdue logic cleanup utilizing the standard Russell Logic PLC templates. Picking a non-ferritic plate with holes was a unique challenge and the customer worked with their COVAL.SAS rep to utilize their Lemax products. In the past I've used the Piab Group Kenos systems for challenging part handling, but I am very impressed with the Lemax product series! Russell Logic is ready for any challenge! Contact us today for your Industrial Automation Needs! New, Old, Messy, Weird, we do it all! Russell@RussellLogic.com

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Check out this fascinating study on the reconstruction of embedded high-aspect-ratio nano-voids using ultrafast laser Bessel beams. Published in MDPI, this research delves into the advanced laser technology required to create precise nano-voids within various materials, crucial for nanomanufacturing and materials science applications. Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gtVMb9GR High-precision stages enhance the capability to achieve desired outcomes in nanofabrication processes, making them indispensable in advanced scientific research and industrial applications. #Nanotechnology #LaserTechnology #Research #Nanofabrication #PrecisionEngineering #ScientificResearch #Aerotech #Innovation #MaterialScience #motioncontrol

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HELLO RECRUITERS and Controls Engineers! I noticed a lot of recruiters postings for robot programmer / robotics engineers that has PLC programming as a requirement for the position now a days. When I first started in the field over ten years ago PLC programming and robot programming was the main requirement for Controls Engineers. Any thoughts on this? Are new era recruiters merging PLC programming and robot programming the main requirement for robot programming positions now?

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I've been on a roll with PLC tutorials recently, and it's fun. This latest one is an intro to designing a basic discrete I/O ladder program for DirectLOGIC controllers, a super popular brand, although many of the product lines are fading into obsolescence. One of the things I like about this PLC is that we need to go back to serial port communication. USB and Ethernet may be the primary modern com choice for your laptop, but we still need to exercise that serial port muscle every once in a while! Have fun with all your future DirectSOFT'ing.

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📊🔍 Documenting sensor placement in real-time is essential for accurate temperature mapping data. Always record the placement of thermocouples or dataloggers on the Sensor Placement Data Sheet and sketch any additional details at the time of placement. This ensures data integrity, supporting quality control, and regulatory compliance. - MIke Murphy 👉 Follow Ellab - Validation & Monitoring Solutions where we are committed to innovation and quality. Remember, precise documentation makes a difference! 🌟 #TemperatureMapping #DataIntegrity #QualityControl #Ellab #RegulatoryCompliance

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#ControlLogix TAB Tip 16: Learn what you need to know, and how to get ControlLogix Firmware here -> https://lnkd.in/dXh-8yPx #Automation #RockwellAutomation #TheAutomationBlog

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#Siemens brings us up to speed on #RealTimeLocationSystems (#RTLS) in this episode of #TheAutomationPodcast: https://lnkd.in/gujDTFWE #Automation #IndustrialAutomation #VideoPodcast #AudioPodcast

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