Read the latest entries to each of Plant Engineering's blogs.
Lachance on CMMS is about current maintenance topics. Blogger Paul Lachance is president and chief technology officer for Smartware Group. Lachance has been developing and perfecting the company’s CMMS solution for the maintenance professional for 18 years.
Marshall on Maintenance is provided by the Marshall Institute, an asset management consulting and training company dedicated to helping companies improve the maintenance contribution to their organizational performance.
Machine Safety is J.B. Titus's blog in which he discusses machine guarding topics, including solutions assessments, regulatory compliance, gap analysis, operating efficiencies and cost savings, as well as all relevant safety standards, such as those from NFPA, ANSI, RIA, IEC, ISO and OSHA.
Research Analyst blogs are provided by IMS Research, recently acquired by IHS Inc., leading independent supplier of market research and consultancy to the global electronics industry. These analyst blogs discuss hot topics in the following industries: Automotive + Transport, Communications + Wireless, Consumer Electronics, Displays, Factory Automation, Financial + ID Technologies, Lighting + LEDs, Power + Energy, Security + Fire, and Semiconductors.
Lachance on CMMS
Marshall on Maintenance
Machine Safety
Machine Safety: Can end user companies comply with ISO 13849-1: 2006 without design engineering resources?ISO 13849-1: 2006, an international machine safety standard, is written for individuals who perform design responsibilities for control systems. What are end users responsibilities? » more
Machine safety risk level assessment priority: Possibility, severity, or frequency?Which factor has the highest priority for assessing hazard risk levels: possibility, severity, or frequency? The ANSI B11.0 – 2010 standard may help. » more
Machine Safety: Is upgrading to solid state enough?Moving machine guarding solutions to solid-state-based components from hard-wired components has been a persistent U.S. discussion since 2002. Are solid-state components enough to provide effective... » more
Machine safety: Confusion amuck, quantitative circuit design versus qualitative risk assessment When talking about qualitative versus quantitative as they relate to machine safety standards and compliance requirements, are we talking about the risk assessment process? Or do we consider the... » more
Machine Safety: Are you a chosen one?A joint committee is merging two global machine safety standards (ISO 13849-1:2006, Safety of machinery -- Safety-related parts of control systems -- Part 1: General principles for design and IEC... » more
Research Analyst Blogs
PV module costs and prices – What is really happening now!? In light of the PV industry taking a hit in 2011 IMS Research revisits some of their past predictions and what they project for the industry in 2012. » more
China’s demand for raw materials is increasing the medium voltage motor drives market in Latin AmericaChina's growing demand for raw materials in South America has had a positive impact in the medium voltage market there, particularly in Brazil. Chile and Peru are also projected to be among the... » more
UK Government on solar back foot - Tariff confusion continuesWith feed-in tariffs (FiT) declared illegal by the UK's High Court, the PV market is in a state of flux with one of its major assets no longer being a factor. » more
North American International Auto Show - Analyst perspectiveAlastair Hayfield provides some insights on the latest developments in the automotive industry from the North American Industrial Auto Show in Detroit » more
Direct drive torque motors are replacing gears. But is this statistically significant?Direct drive torque motors have a greater presence in the marketplace, but overall their impact and potential threat to gearboxes is limited. » more