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It wasn’t too long ago that hazardous zones and production zones were reasonably well separated. The areas where explosive gases, vapors, or combustible dusts were present tended to stay in their own very specific environments, and the equipment operating in those areas was specified accordingly. Today, however, that distinction is less clear.
As digital transformation increases demand for data from automation systems – driven by new digital innovations such as advanced analytics, AI and expanded connectivity – maintaining system integrity has become a challenge. ABB’s Luis Duran explores how the concept of “separation of concerns” protect the core of the automation system in a cyber-secure way, while enabling new digital value without compromising operational performance.
Certification to ATEX and IECEx requirements enables IE6 technology to be deployed in hazardous areas
On a high-speed food and beverage line, small errors rarely stay small across the wider production environment
200 ms response time for maximised process performance and reliability
Direct driven blowers for economical and energy-efficient process air generation
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.
Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that its OpreX™ Open Automation SI Kit for Open Process Automation™ (OPA) systems has been certified for conformance with the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) profile of the Open Process Automation Standard (O‑PAS™), a first in the process industry.
Wireless scanner in different variants for multiple operating scenarios
The ifm group has announced its financial results for the successful 2025 fiscal year.
Hygiene, compliance and digitalisation combined
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.
Qlar is opening a new Test Center for reliable pneumatic conveying in Bangalore, India, supporting customers in the metals, cement and energy sectors. With the facility, Qlar is strengthening its position as a provider of practical test infrastructure.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is leading IRION, a European research and innovation project aimed at building a more sustainable and resilient green hydrogen value chain.
In high-pressure fluid systems, inaccuracy is more than a measurement problem - it’s a performance, safety, and cost risk. From hydraulic power units to oilfield chemical injection skids, reliable flow data under extreme pressure is essential to keeping critical systems running efficiently and safely.
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.
With SIL 2 certification for limit switches and 4…20 mA output
Fraunhofer project for better recycling processes of paper packaging
The fertilizer sector is caught in a global paradox between growing food to feed billions and the urgent need to decarbonise. Compressors present a largely overlooked opportunity to reduce lifecycle costs and carbon emissions, while enabling more sustainable production of ammonia. Author: Greg Gedney, Business Development Manager, Industrial Operations, Greene Tweed
Ultra-thin barrier layers on packaging effectively protect food and medicine from oxygen, moisture, and contaminants. The Film-Inspect sensor, developed at Fraunhofer IPM, measures the quality of these barriers during the coating process, enabling process control for the first time.
Extended functionalities for stable plant operations and improved maintenance efficiency
For safe inspection of processes in hazardous environments
A new wave of more efficient, adaptable and intelligent plant operations is emerging as conventional control systems evolve into modern, open and modular automation ecosystems. Stefan Basenach, Senior Vice President ABB Automation Technology, explains how ABB’s Automation Extended allows industrial organizations to fully embrace the opportunities of digitalization while futureproofing their operations.
Encapsulated stainless-steel housing for use in demanding production environments
Polyurethanes (PUR) are found in many products, such as upholstered furniture, foam or insulation materials, flooring, paints and even medical catheter tubes. The production of these high-demand plastics, however, relies on toxic isocyanate. Fraunhofer researchers have now developed an alternative production process using harmless dicarbamate.
Robust and precise flowmeters for dispensing of aggressive media
Improved efficiency of protein capture with Surface Acoustic Wave Flowmeters
In response to the recent global shortage of Germanium, an essential material for optical components in long-wavelength infrared cameras, Optris has engineered and launched a new optical design that completely removes the need for Germanium. Germanium has long been the main material for lenses and windows in thermal imaging systems. However, issues like supply shortages, export restrictions,...
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.
The new treatment will reduce the high cost of transforming rice straw and citrus pruning waste into plant-based plastics.
Easy-to-use logistics solution with optional GPS localisation
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.
For more resistant and durable aluminium drives in harsh environments
APC enables capacity increases without new hardware, energy savings and cost reduction through continuous optimization, and more stable product quality under fluctuating conditions.
Robust technology monitors the most challenging wastewaters
BASF already produces metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) on an industrial scale that can store large quantities of CO₂ and water vapour in a limited space.
At the Bürkert Trade Press Days we spoke with Georg Stawowy, CEO of Bürkert Fluid Control Systems about the concept of a regenerative economy.
Valuable energy is lost in pressure reduction stations, exhaust steam pipes and condensation systems. With Energify system, the company CFT GmbH offers a simple and robust solution for the cost-effective conversion of even slight pressure differences into energy. This saves electricity costs and lowers CO₂ emissions. The system performance is controlled precisely with sliding gate valves from Schubert & Salzer.
Integrated thermal protection technologies prevent overheating and identify heat sinking issues for equipment longevity
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