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Mihails Kusnezoff, Stefan Megel and Sindy Mosch from the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS in Dresden have developed a high-temperature electrolysis stack that is setting new standards worldwide: It generates hydrogen with unprecedented efficiency, can also operate as a fuel cell and is designed for industrial-scale serial production. The technology has earned the three researchers the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for 2026.
The facility is one of the largest Ethernet-APL field network deployments undertaken by a Chinese domestic chemical enterprise, completion is expected for Q3/2027
In many conveyor systems, worn coatings cause unnecessary failures – whether in the food and beverage industry or in material handling. For this purpose, igus offers powder coatings made of high-performance polymers called iglidur coating, which make surfaces significantly more wear-resistant and durable. To make it easier for users to retrofit existing systems, the company now also offers coated plates and wire mesh that can be flexibly cut to size and installed. The range is complemented by IC-05PF, the first PTFE‑free coating, which is intended in particular for applications with high hygiene requirements.
200 ms response time for maximised process performance and reliability
Nijhuis Saur Industries (NSI), part of Saur Group, introduced PFAS Resolve at IFAT 2026 in Munich. It is a Saur Group solution: a modular concept combining advanced technologies to address the full spectrum of PFAS contamination directly on site.
Fast and reliable measurement over wide temperature ranges
Ensuring quality and consistency in plastic manufacturing and recycling processes
A long-standing automation partnership between a Swiss machine builder and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial robots is aiming to help transform the pharmaceutical supply chain in Europe with the launch of what is believed to be the ‘smallest’ automated palletising cell for vials and pre-filled syringes.
At a specialist aerospace equipment manufacturer in Portsmouth, an initiative to reduce energy costs identified steam energy usage that could be optimised. Dart Aerospace involved Bürkert’s engineering team to develop a system that could automatically close steam flow during non-operational periods. This custom-developed flow control system was set live in January 2025 and achieved return on investment in a matter of months.
Inductive heating is rapidly gaining importance in food processing and food-related packaging systems. The technology enables reproducible temperatures and short response times while meeting high hygiene standards. Kendrion consistently applies this proven principle to food and packaging machinery: with scalable systems for inductive heating and industrial surface heating. They generate heat exactly where it is needed: during transport, in the heating plate, in the container, or in the roller. Energy consumption is up to 50 percent lower than with gas or oil heaters.
Around 170 IEC experts for explosion protection meet in Mannheim for two weeks to discuss current safety-related topics such as robotics, drones, lithium batteries and more.
Sensor Solution for Atmosphere Integrity Monitoring and Verification
The latest trends in robotics can be experienced at HANNOVER MESSE 2026 from April 20 to 24.
Robust and precise flowmeters for dispensing of aggressive media
Metering and emptying solution for IBCs in the food and beverage industry
Hanna Lundin, product engineer at Emerson, explains in this article how simplified tank monitoring system architectures make it more feasible for companies to implement an automated solution to improve their inventory management, increase safety and efficiency.
In September 2025, a ransomware attack on Collins Aerospace interrupted check-in and boarding systems at major European airports, heavily impacting Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin. The attackers never breached the airport’s core IT – they didn’t need to. One compromised supplier was enough to paralyze a critical service. Here, Stephan Nobis, business development manager at automation supplier COPA-DATA, discusses why Europe’s critical infrastructure must move from compliance to continuous cybersecurity – or face severe risks.
ELGi Compressors Europe, a subsidiary of ELGi Equipments Limited announced the transformative operational results achieved by its customer, Guttsta Källa AB, a century-old Swedish natural mineral water producer. By implementing a high-performance ELGi compressed air solution, Guttsta Källa has dramatically increased its production throughput while delivering substantial annual energy savings of 120,000 kWh, positioning the company for continued growth in the premium Swedish bottled water market.
Elimination of measurement blind spots with safe and easy-to-install solution
Precision and accuracy are essential for liquid dosing applications to ensure quality and safety. While these factors are vital at the micro level, macro scale applications, involving litres of product, can also make significant efficiency gains by optimising dosing control. To achieve this, selecting the right valve and measurement technology is vital, with the right level of automation.
Looks matter, but they aren’t everything: long before croissants, biscuits or waffles are placed in protective packaging, manufacturers need to ensure that their contents are exactly as they should be. In upstream steps, producers pave the way for the highest quality, safety and shelf life of ready-to-eat products. Ingenious technologies that work towards this goal are always part of the packaging process.
With the growing complexity of technical plants, demographic shifts in the workforce, and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, traditional methods of risk assessment are reaching their limits. To meet these challenges, TÜV SÜD has developed a digital approach, called iaHAZOP, that builds on established risk assessment methods and extends them into the digital domain. The process industry now has a tool that redefines the state-of-the-art in technical risk management. Authors: Michael Pfeifer, Senior Expert Adaptive Safety and Alexander Kurdas, Expert for Machinery and Electrical Safety. TÜV Süd
Niederrhein-Gold Tersteegen GmbH & Co. KG in Moers, Germany has been relying on automated guided vehicles (AGV) from ek robotics. After the system was expanded in 2019 to include vehicles for transporting industrial pallets, new transport robots were added in 2024, opening further functional areas and ensuring even higher throughputs and efficient material flows with their continuous operation.
Zoom lenses, available in motorised and manual versions
Upgrading pneumatic control valves with digital capabilities can enhance process quality and efficiency. Though a full digital control system redesign might be prohibitive, integrating digital positioners and process controllers can offer many of the same benefits without requiring a complete overhaul. Author: Kieran Bennett, Industry Manager, Food & Beverage at Bürkert.
Addition to the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio mainly in the range of 24 and 48 V motors for intelligent, battery-powered drive solutions.
The goal of the alliance of the companies Bizerba, FANUC, KILIVATIONS and Schmalz, announced at automatica 2025, is to drive the development and implementation of forward-looking automation solutions in a practical, innovative and customer-centric way
Sensirion Connected Solutions, a subsidiary of Sensirion Holding AG specializing in sensor-based IoT solutions and services for emissions monitoring, announced the acquisition of Kuva Systems, a Cambridge-based innovator in image-based methane emissions monitoring.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are essential for storing renewable energy and ensuring grid stability. However, their implementation comes with inherent risks, particularly related to lithium-ion battery fires.
The Packaging Competence Centre (PCC) is a joint venture between packaging machinery manufacturer Gerhard Schubert GmbH and Berlin-based packaging consultancy Berndt+Partner Group. The new organisation brings together experts in the fields of regulation, packaging design, materials and automation technology to support manufacturers to develop and implement sustainable packaging.
International Federation of Robotics reports on trends in the industry
Designed to maintain focus over a wide temperature range
The food and beverage industry is continually evolving, driven by the need for enhanced efficiency, quality, and safety. Central to these advancements is fluid process control, a crucial component in manufacturing processes such as mixing, fermentation, and pasteurisation. Recent innovations in this area have focused on precision, automation, and sustainability, significantly improving production practices.
Process industries, with a focus on Chemicals plants, are currently experiencing an evolution. Plant operators are grappling with a market that is shifting towards shorter product lifecycles, regularly changing feedstocks, an overall more precise yet rapid approach to production and narrowing profit margins.
Personalized medicine means an elementary change for the pharma and biotech industry aimed at the production of large quantities. Pharmabotix is developing automation and robotics solutions for filling smaller batches as they occur in cell and gene therapy. The Swiss company is thereby focusing on a hygienically designed Yaskawa Motoman HD8 industrial robot.
Ethernet-APL extends connectivity all the way to process automation field devices. This is achieved with 2-wire cabling via Ethernet-APL switches at data transfer rates of 10 MB/s. Transmissions are intrinsically safe and therefore possible into Ex zones as well. This paves the way for the straightforward collection of large volumes of field data, which facilitates plant optimization as well as the development of new business models in process engineering. Yet physical transmission is only part of the story.
Leak detection with robust fixed mounted solution for monitoring and advanced analytics
Steen-Hansen – a Norwegian manufacturer of fouling prevention and net protecting solutions for aquaculture use as well as of specialized industrial paint systems – has not only successfully overcome quality problems with its newly developed antifouling coatings, but also significantly shortened process times, simply by switching its production facilities to state-of-the-art mixing and dispersion technology.
Automated system for recovering and purifying gases used in gas chromatography (GC)
Endress+Hauser announces its partnership with the Single Pair Ethernet System Alliance. This strategic alliance underscores the company’s commitment to simplifying customer’s digitalization needs and investing in the future of automation.
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