Taking ‘Every Reasonable REPORT on ICS: What Bringing Production Precaution’ During a Insights from Our Recent Roundtable on Industrial Back Home Means for Pandemic
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MACHINE SAFETY: RESHORING: On taking ‘every reasonable REPORT ON ICS: What bringing production precaution’ during a Insights from our recent roundtable on industrial back home means for pandemic. p. 11 control systems. p. 14 automation. p. 22 Your resource for Canada’s industrial automation news AutomationMag.com TAKING CONTROL Building a new business during a pandemic isn’t easy, but the team at Black Controls Company is already seeing success. p. 18 Highly-rated, feature packed PLCs available at your fi ngertips, 24/7/365 Unlike other suppliers, at AutomationDirect we welcome any feedback we get on our products, especially our PLCs. We display all product reviews we receive “...We have used a variety of the CLICK on our Webstore to help others make informed buying decisions. 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All rights reserved. 1-800-633-0405 the #1 value in automation November/December 2020 Vol. 35, No. 7 DEPARTMENTS 4 From the editor 5 Automation upfront The latest industry news, 18 deal makers, and movers and shakers 12 Centre stage Michelle Chrétien, Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Design CONTENTS Technologies 30 The smart factory 14 The state of industrial control Research and applications Senior-level leaders at our recent roundtable on industrial to guide your digital control systems sound off on legacy equipment, device transformation lifespan and controls project planning By Kristina Urquhart COLUMNS COVER STORY 10 Industry watch The critical value of 18 Taking control purposeful work 14 11 Machine safety Building a new business during a pandemic may not have been on this panel builder’s vision board, but the team came through Eight ways for employers with a bigger order book to ‘take every reasonable By Kristina Urquhart precaution’ during a pandemic 19 New tools for training NEW PRODUCTS With technology frequently in flux, today’s workforce requires ongoing digital learning that prioritizes a proactive versus 26 Automation software reactive approach 26 Material handling By William Valedis 27 Communications & networking 10 22 Bringing production back home 27 Machine safety The pandemic is causing manufacturers to consider reshoring 28 Motors & drives initiatives. The trend is likely to drive more automation 28 Robotics By Jacob Stoller 29 Process control 24 AI at the edge Using artificial intelligence to process data on an edge device helps to create new value for OEMs ON THE COVER: THE BLACK CONTROLS CO. TEAM. (L TO R) MIKE LAKE, MATTHEW HEISZ, JON FERRIER, RICK BLACK & WADE CONRAD By Chris Catterton Bringing power to your installation has never been easier! POWER CONNECTORS BY MURRELEKTRONIK https://www.murr.ca/ca-en/highlights/power-connectors/ ON: 905-362-2211 QC, Maritimes & Western Canada: 514-461-7282 E- [email protected] murr.ca MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · November/December 2020 AutomationMag.com 3 MA_Murr_NovDec20.indd 1 2020-10-19 11:10 AM FROM THE EDITOR BY KRISTINA URQUHART Your resource for Canada’s industrial automation news EDITOR Charting a new course Kristina Urquhart [email protected] for investments Tel: 416-442-5600 PUBLISHER eflecting on this year is an overwhelm- The industrial automation market in Klaus B. Pirker ing exercise, to say the least. Unless Ontario, for example, will soon see gains [email protected] you’d previously spent a lot of time after a September announcement that Ford Tel: 416-510-6757 Rreading about pandemics or public of Canada and Unifor, the union representing GROUP PUBLISHER health, 2020 was a year that the vast majority of automotive workers in Canada, had inked a Paul Grossinger us didn’t see coming. three-year, $1.8-billion deal to retool the auto [email protected] We were ill prepared, and maybe we should manufacturer’s plant in Oakville for electric MEDIA DESIGNER have known better – though I’m not sure what vehicle and battery production. Graham Jeffrey could have possibly equipped us ahead of time The investment, which includes nearly [email protected] to comprehend the loss of life, the upending of $600 million in federal and provincial govern- ACCOUNT COORDINATOR our economy, the slashing of jobs, or the blow ment funding, was sorely needed – previous Debbie Smith to the way we conduct business. production contracts were wrapping up, and [email protected] Now, a pivotal U.S. election is about to the new deal is expected to retain 3,000 of the Tel: 416-442-5600 ext 3221 unfold that, no matter the outcome, will plant’s 3,400 jobs. The investment also aligns AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER further affect trade and international relations with the federal government’s goal to finance Urszula Grzyb both here in Canada and abroad. clean technologies in pursuit of net-zero [email protected] Through it all this year, we did what humans carbon emissions by 2050. Tel: 416-510-5180 do. We adapted, and we learned how to live At MA’s recent roundtable on industrial COO with COVID-19 in our midst. Although 2020 control systems, industry experts stressed this Scott Jamieson has been sobering, companies are busy recali- idea that investments should reflect on larger [email protected] brating for 2021. According to a recent study goals. The key to a successful controls imple- by BDC, 39 per cent of Canada’s small and mentation, said Sanjith Singh, vice-president CONTRIBUTING WRITERS mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) are getting their of industrial automation at Schneider Electric Chris Catterton, Paul Hogendoorn, Jacob Stoller, William Valedis, WSPS finances in order by cutting down on operating Canada, is to thoroughly understand what you costs, managing their cash flow and developing want to achieve from the top down. Manufacturing Automation is published seven contingency plans. Considering corporate goals such as times a year by: The study, called The Response: How Entre- sustainability, quality management or energy Annex Business Media preneurs are Adapting to the Pandemic, identifies reduction will pinpoint what results you need 111 Gordon Baker Rd., several other priorities of SMEs heading to achieve and, consequently, what you need Suite 400, Toronto, ON, M2H 3R1 into the next year, including investing in out of new technology. Ultimately, this helps Tel: 416-442-5600 Fax: 416-442-2191 technology to stay competitive (27 per cent), decision makers ensure a better, longer-last- continuing to permit teleworking to enable ing investment. For more on investments and Printed in Canada ISSN 1480-2996 social distancing (25 per cent), selling and controls project planning from Singh and our Publication Mail Agreement #40065710 promoting goods and services online (24 per other roundtable panelists, turn to p. 14. CIRCULATION cent), and diversifying clientele (23 per cent). Days after this magazine is printed, the email: [email protected] The two top priorities – managing cash results of the election south of the border Tel: 416-510-5180 Fax: 416-510-6875 flow and investing in new technologies – may will chart a whole new course for company Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, seem out of sync with one another, but they’ve investment across North America, and it will Toronto, ON, M2H 3R1 been constant refrains among economists and be time to prepare for how the outcome will SUBSCRIPTION RATES industry leaders over the past several months. affect operations in 2021. Canada — $43 per year Financial injections – whether via government Businesses may not have been ready for United States — $75.50 (US) per year Foreign — $86 (US) per year stimulus or a business reinvesting in itself – the pandemic, but they do know that political Students — $20.50 per year are crucial to surviving a crisis. Investments winds change every four years. And, as ever, ANNEX PRIVACY OFFICER MA drive new growth. they adapt. | email: [email protected] Tel: 800-668-2374 Occasionally, Manufacturing AUTOMATION will mail information on behalf of industry related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you.