Recent years have seen a shift toward energy efficiency as a way to reduce industrial costs. Legislation also has pushed for meeting emissions targets and ecological needs as the world’s natural resources bear the strain of the rapid growth of the global consumer market. There are 300 million motors in use in industry, infrastructure, and large buildings, and that figure is increasing by around 10 percent (30 million drives) per year. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, consumption by manufacturers worldwide is projected to increase by 75% between 2010 and 2030. The world is becoming more, not less, thirsty for energy, and efficiency is becoming increasingly important. To help address this, any drives vendor in the European Union (EU) now must comply with the Ecodesign of Energy Related Products Directive 2009/125/EC.

Lighting plays an important role in creating a work environment that’s both pleasant and productive – and it’s a big part of your electric bill. That’s why it pays to install high-efficiency lighting systems. You’ll lower your operating costs while maintaining adequate lighting levels. New, energy-efficient lighting technologies provide direct or indirect lighting. Best of all, they use up to 30 percent less energy than standard fluorescent lighting equipment.

Machine safety systems have evolved from strictly hardwired systems, where safety and standard logic were separate, to the multifaceted spectrum of newer programmable systems with varying levels of cost, complexity, and wiring methods. When designing safety into machinery, engineers must verify compliance with today’s more-stringent standards and determine how safety will interplay with productivity to keep downtime to a minimum. Engineers also should consider how flexible and scalable a safety system will be with evolving operations.

Today, you’re expected to do more with less. To help meet your key performance indicators and profitability goals, a proven game plan is key. As a manufacturer, you require flexible, scalable asset management solutions for the entire plant floor. CBT and Rockwell Automation use a four-step process to create a customized asset management strategy that will help you avoid downtime, ease staffing burdens, and get back online quickly with minimal impact on production.

CBT partner Martin Sprocket & Gear manufactures its sprockets in a thorough, 10-step process. Check it out:

Hubbell Wiring Device-Kellems first introduced its innovative Twist-Lock devices more than 100 years ago, and they have been leading the industry ever since. Twist-Lock devices are must-have in an industrial environment, protecting users and machinery simultaneously. Hubbell offers a wide array of Twist-Lock devices suitable for almost any manufacturing setting, providing high-quality devices and top-notch performance. 

Limit switches serve many purposes in manufacturing. The NEMA 4 & 5 from Nook Industries offer two and four circuit solutions for varying applications, including machinery, packaging, door operation, hoists, and valves. 

Hardy HI 6500 Series Weight Processors are used  as front ends to control systems or standalone for all types of general weighing applications. Operating blind or with a display, they measure, condition and communicate weight without any need to control.  Hardy Weight Processors come with the full set of Rockwell Automation integration tools such as EDS-AOPs and HMI Faceplates that make PLC integration easy.