Rockwell Automation announced that as of June 2017, the PLC-5® Control System is discontinued and no longer available for sale. Are you one of many manufacturers still using PLC-5s? If so, you should consider upgrading from the now obsolete PLC-5 to a modern, currently supported controls platform sooner rather than later. Relying on an […]

From this month’s installment of Plant Engineering, we’ve consolidated this eight-step plan to help you to discover and debug your process control system which can be developed and applied as time goes by. Starting with nothing more than a pencil and paper and with the help of some commonly available tools, you’ll gain the right focus […]

At EPIC Automation, every practical, beneficial and cost-efficient automation solution we develop is based upon industry research and trends.  Before any design or development takes place, our engineers take the time to research and gain a thorough understanding of the process.  In October of 2011, Bill Lydon, Editor of Automation.com wrote an article called “PLC […]

Line integration has changed over the years. It’s not just about making several machines work together through controls and mechanical adjustments.  New technologies such as machine vision and robotics have made more possible with less, but have also created new challenges for automation experts. New emphasis on line efficiency analysis, demands for validation assistance and the increasing desire […]

Recently, Tube and Pipe Journal published an article called “An Automation Project Is A People Project” which featured an interview of John Schott, President of EPIC Systems, Inc. The article and Mr. Schott emphasize that a project cannot be successful without the people involved. In fact, having the right people involved at the right stage of the […]

Question: Should I add remote access to my blending operations for my automation provider? They keep telling me it will save me money in the long run but I’m not convinced it’s safe. Answer from Jason Baron, Automation Engineer: Remote access does provide a lot of advantages from a cost standpoint, your provider is correct about that, especially […]

Can you modify all your automation programs? Do you have the engineering drawings for everything on your manufacturing floor? Unfortunately for most manufacturer’s, the answer to one or both of these questions is “no.” A lot of integrators don’t relinquish their controller and HMI programs or drawings to the end client. This protects the design […]

Your packing operations are probably somewhere between fully automated and completely manual on the automation scale. Thanks in part to system integrators, automation has become common place for industry, but knowing which processes to automation, at what time, is key to your future success. Automation can be both a blessing and a significant expense. Mike […]