Outsourcing in recent months has become a contentious issue for the public Even government officials are feeling the pressure as they try to cut bottom-line costs by outsourcing jobs overseas.Plant managers have been feeling similar pressures Learn more

Up and running right out of box Model ER900TRS utilizes easyRadio software technology and has all required communications protocols embedded in onboard memory It operates between 860- 920 MHz as well as US-approved 902-928 MHz and pan-European Learn more

Connectivity cost and data sharing head the roster of issues confronting the automation sector today Notes Dick Slansky senior analyst/discrete industries at ARC Advisory Service "One of the major concerns facing factory automation today both from Learn more

IEN What are the major concerns facing automation and how can they be addressed?Lupo One of the major concerns facing automation still remains in the communication protocols and standards The "fieldbus wars" of the 90s have turned into the Learn more

Web-based technology wireless and network systems continue to drive HMI/MMI while growing interest in collaborative manufacturing puts even more emphasis on flexibility and ease of use These goals can be reached by "embracing productivity tools Learn more

IEN Will HMI/MMI shift from client-server to device-based architectures? Where does Thin Client fit in?Sielinski Advances in technology have resulted in a much broader distribution of intelligent devices in the manufacturing environment which is Learn more

From software to conveyors to drives technological innovations are making the impossible routine in moving materials components and products through the enterprise The following article culls the expertise of more than 20 company experts from a Learn more

Companies are crawling walking and running to reach the dream of the seamless integrated industrial enterprise Janie West director of new business development at Wonderware observes that "e-manufacturing can mean many things from e-Procurement Learn more

Lean manufacturing Six Sigma plug-and-play flexible manufacturing -- companies are searching the cupboards for solutions as the U.S economy shows signs of contraction At center stage is the lean enterprise The heart of lean is the Toyota Learn more

Excerpts presented here are taken from a transcript based on written responses from the panel members after the original roundtable scheduled for September 12 2001 during the ISA conference in Houston Texas was cancelled due to the previous Learn more