Automation Articles for Manufacturers and Engineers

Figure 1–Examples of end-user-specific SCADA definitions. © International Society of Automation. Used with permission of ISA. Excerpted from ANSI/ISA-112.00.01-2025, SCADA Systems – Part 1: SCADA Lifecycle, Diagrams and Terminology.

ISA Announces Publication of New Standard for SCADA Systems

The ISA-112 Part 1 standard provides a framework for modernizing SCADA systems

The International Society of Automation (ISA) has announced the publication of ANSI/ISA-112.00.01-2025, SCADA Systems – Part 1: SCADA Lifecycle, Diagrams and Terminology, which is now available for sale on www.isa.org and is accessible to ISA members as a membership benefit.

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

ASRock announced new system management software designed to work alongside their existing AIoT controllers.

ASRock Releases New System Management Software, AiSMA

ASRock has moved to support their IoT controller line, the Industrial Robust Edge AIoT Platform, with a new software suite that runs on Redfish. AiSMA, their new system management software, is a straightforward method for existing customers to tackle system security and management, as well as an important signal that they will actively continue to support their products with value-added software.

With digital twins for virtual commissioning, NORD supports their customers with quicker system availability, even for complex drive systems.

NORD Introduces Digital Twin Capabilities

NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has introduced digital twins for system development. This innovative technology allows engineers to verify early in the planning process whether the drive concept is suitable for the system, even complex systems, significantly reducing the project timeline and achieving greater efficiency and availability.

ROBOTICS

Vention's GRIIP enables deployment of autonomous robot cells in highly unstructured manufacturing environments

How Generalized AI Can Transform Pick-and-Place Robotics

Instead of dedicated pick-and-place robots programmed for a single task, a new type of generalized artificial intelligence can allow for a more flexible and robust autonomous robotic implementation that scales across applications.

From left to right: Dr Mathias Kammüller (Chief Digital Officer and Managing Partner, TRUMPF SE + Co. KG), Alexander Lewinsky (Managing Director, IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH), Jan Hartmann, Managing Partner, IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH, Jan Kistner (Head of Corporate Purchasing TRUMPF SE + Co. KG)

IDS Receives Trumpf Supplier Award for Innovation

After developing a new modular camera platform and “flexible technology architecture,” IDS received an award for excellence from tech client Trumpf for going “above and beyond the everyday.”

MOTION CONTROL

A diagram of a Nord gear unit installed in a bucket elevator. Nord will be showing off several such gear units at GEAPS Exchange 2026.

Nord To Feature Mainline Electric Motors and Gear Units at GEAPS Exchange 2026

Nord gave a brief preview of what they'll be bringing to GEAPS Exchange 2026, a prominent trade show for the grain industry in North America. Their Maxxdrive line of high torque gear units will be front and center at their booth. Accompanying them will be several helical bevel gear units, electric motors, and a screw conveyor package, all highly customizable to tackle various environmental conditions.

AMKmotion presents the new synchronous servo motor DIP – offering high power density, compact construction, up to three times the acceleration, and reduced use of rare-earth elements.

More Torque with Fewer Magnets

AMKmotion has launched its new DIP series of synchronous servo motors. Delivering up to three times the acceleration of comparable drives, they combine high power density with a compact footprint. The integrated reluctance torque component significantly reduces the use of rare-earth materials.

AI

The A8 is designed for advanced industrial manufacturing applications, with a particular focus on the rapidly evolving semiconductor manufacturing equipment market. Its high-performance architecture and flexible engineering environment make it ideally suited for industries requiring precision control, scalable integration, and accelerated development cycles.

Yokogawa Introduces OpreX A8 Intelligent Edge Controllers

The semiconductor manufacturing industry continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, driven by rapidly increasing precision requirements and growing system complexity. As equipment configurations and control targets diversify, engineers are often required to modify or completely rewrite control software to accommodate new specifications or design changes. Because traditional controllers tightly couple software behavior to hardware, even small adjustments can lead to lengthy redevelopment cycles, slowing innovation and delaying equipment rollout. To overcome these limitations, Yokogawa has introduced a mechanism that enables software development centered on data rather than hardware dependencies. This architecture allows the control software to seamlessly absorb variations in equipment design, functionality, and operating conditions.

The Smart Robotic Canopy Sanding System will target maintenance and repair operations for acrylic and polycarbonate parts that accumulate scratches and surface damage on both interior and exterior surfaces throughout their service life.

GrayMatter Robotics to Develop AI-Powered Robotic System for Air Force

GrayMatter Robotics has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract by AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force, to develop an autonomous robotic system for the precision sanding of canopies.