Podcast: June's New Industrial Products You Need to Know About
Staying on top of the latest technology can be daunting but also imperative in the manufacturing space. Even more imperative is using the right tech in the right way to keep efficiency up, improve production, retain workers, and more.
This month has seen an array of products hit the market, each promising to enhance efficiency, safety, and productivity in the industry. From cutting-edge machinery to advanced software solutions, these new releases are setting new standards and providing fresh opportunities for growth and improvement.
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Alexis Gajewski, filling in for Laura Davis, the editor-in-chief of New Equipment Digest, unveils the new products that were released in June.
Below is an excerpt from the podcast:
First on our list is the SIMATIC Automation Workstation from Siemens USA. PLCs, being the brains of the factory, can quickly add up throughout the plant with each one requiring its own programming to align correctly with the others, causing challenges for operators to manage each point throughout the factory closely.
The SIMATIC Automation Workstation solves that challenge by replacing a PLC, HMI, and an edge device simultaneously with its single, software-based system. The workstation can be easily viewed and managed from a central point while letting operators deploy programming, updates, and patches to the entire fleet at once so the factory remains in synch.
The on-premise OT device uses Siemens industrial edge technology for high data throughput with low latency to run a variety of applications which include motion control, sequencing, safety, visual inspection, and robotic grasping and placing.
Number two on our list is right in time for these hot summer days on the job. The StaCool Premium Industrial Vest provides all-day cooling for workers in the summer heat.
Fully adjustable to all body types and sizes, it uses Velcro straps at the shoulders, chest, and stomach for the best fit and flexibility.
It uses ThermoPaks to keep core body temperatures at safe levels for hours and each vest comes with a spare set to extend cooling time when needed once the first set thaws. Each gel-packed cell works independently to distribute and extend cooling time. The thermal barrier ensures wearers don't get too cold. The vest weighs six-and-a-half pounds when fully hydrated with the weight evenly distributed across the body.
Constructed of Denier Nylon Diamond Ripstop material, the stain-resistant vests come in black, yellow, orange, and green.
Number three on our list is a new type of blower motor technology. Recently patented, Bison's RAM Reverse Air Movement Blower Motor invention uses a new design to overcome the challenges of traditional thru-flow air blower motors which are prone to overheating. The reverse airflow design has only the motor side exposed to ambient air intake for better cooling, even in near-sealed conditions, eliminating the need for thermal protection or bleed holes.
Motors with RAM operate at cooler temperatures, enhancing brush life, commutator performance, and reliability. The technology achieves a 6.5% reduction in decibel levels and a 48% reduction in Sones compared to traditional thru-flow motors. RAM technology also removes the need for a leak path at low flow conditions, leading to better product performance and reduced noise.
The motors support straight air exit, peripheral, and reverse airflow, providing many solutions applications from industrial fume evacuation, floor care for commercial and residential use, paint sprayers, aerospace air movement, surgical smoke evacuation, and hand dryers.
The technology can also reduce carbon dust emissions by applying V0-rated foam to surround the motor to improve performance and minimize noise.
If you're interested, Bison is able to take custom design requests for specific end-use requirements.
About the Podcast
Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast offers news and information for the people who make, store, and move things and those who manage and maintain the facilities where that work gets done. Manufacturers from chemical producers to automakers to machine shops can listen for critical insights into the technologies, economic conditions, and best practices that can influence how to best run facilities to reach operational excellence.
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About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand's digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-gajewski/
