Featured Articles

What to Know About Navigating the End of RSLogix 5

What to Know About Navigating the End of RSLogix 5

For nearly four decades, the Allen‑Bradley PLC-5 and its programming software RSLogix 5 have been the cornerstone for industrial automation. While paving the way for future PLC and software development that we see today, the longevity speaks to its reliability and robustness of the platform. However, as technology evolves, companies must continue to evolve along with it to achieve modern business and expectations. RSLogix 5 reached its final lifecycle phase (discontinuation) on December 31, 2025.

3 Examples of How Digitalization Delivered Major ROI
|

3 Examples of How Digitalization Delivered Major ROI

Companies are more concerned with leveraging digital technology to help increase performance and resilience to market fluctuations than ever before. Companies that digitalize their processes can more easily overcome labor shortages while simplifying the manufacturing of custom industrial automation infrastructure. Digitalizing the industrial enclosure design and modification process can help companies accelerate their speed-to-market and respond to sudden changes in production or design specs without incurring costly downtime.

Is 2025 the Year to Invest in Automated Panel Building Systems?

Is 2025 the Year to Invest in Automated Panel Building Systems?

Increasing engineering productivity is one of the top technology concerns for industrial companies heading into 2025. Enhancing design engineering productivity helps companies both acquire customers and reduce a variety of operational stressors, such as overcoming labor shortages and meeting tight delivery timelines. For today’s panel shops and systems integrators, this means embracing automated panel building systems to increase throughput, accelerate speed-to-market, and execute more complex and precise panel building tasks.

Look for These Certifications When Choosing the Right Industrial Enclosure for Harsh Applications

Look for These Certifications When Choosing the Right Industrial Enclosure for Harsh Applications

Harsh environmental conditions are part of the modern manufacturing landscape, especially as the EV charging station network in North America continues to grow. The number of public EV charging stations increased by almost 5% in the first quarter of this year, and the number of private EV charging stations increased by a little more than 3%. The ability to facilitate a nationwide EV charging infrastructure relies on the durability and reliability of the industrial enclosures used in station construction. While the kind of material and design features can help identify whether an outdoor enclosure is suited for challenging or intense environments, there are a variety of certifications engineers should look for when specifying enclosures for these kinds of deployments.

What to Know About the NEMA 3R Rating for Industrial Enclosures

What to Know About the NEMA 3R Rating for Industrial Enclosures

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) ratings play a vital role in helping North American manufacturers select the right industrial enclosure for their specific production environment. Similar to IP ratings, NEMA ratings designate the level of protection industrial enclosures provide against environmental influences such as dust, dirt, water, corrosion, ice formation, and other forms of potentially hazardous ingress. NEMA 3R is a very specific type of industrial enclosure rating, one that equips the enclosure to adequately house and protect sensitive electronics in outdoor applications.

Rockwell Automation Releases 2024 Sustainability Report

Rockwell Automation Releases 2024 Sustainability Report

Rockwell Automation, Inc. has recently published its 2024 Sustainability Report, which highlights the company’s sustainability strategy, outcomes, and progress to help build sustainable customers, a sustainable company, and sustainable communities.  “We are proud of our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts, which provide the foundation for creating a more sustainable future,” said Rockwell Chairman and CEO Blake Moret.

The Influence of AI on IT Enclosure Design and Configuration
|

The Influence of AI on IT Enclosure Design and Configuration

Data center growth is on the rise. In the U.S. alone, data center demand is expected to increase by 10% annually through 2030, and the global data center market is projected to be just as bullish during the next decade. The increase in the number of data centers to process the amount of data generated by artificial intelligence (AI) means the IT landscape is likely to look very different in the short and mid-term future, particularly in the design and configuration of the ideal IT enclosure to handle AI workloads.

When Do I Use Which Surge Protector? Three Solutions at a Glance

When Do I Use Which Surge Protector? Three Solutions at a Glance

Whether you control a process with a computer, a process control system, a PLC, or a field device, a surge protector can eliminate or reduce the risk of damage to sensitive electronics caused by transient overvoltage. This article will outline three surge protection solutions—for signal lines, for supply lines, as well as for Fieldbus and Ethernet-APL applications.

Wesco Data Center Services: Engineered by Experts

Wesco Data Center Services: Engineered by Experts

Data centers are becoming increasingly complex due to growing demand and the need to support AI and other advanced technologies. Developers and operators must plan for power constraints, high-density cooling requirements and resource-intensive technology rollouts at a time when talent shortages make it difficult to find qualified staff. The right technology partner can help data centers overcome these challenges while increasing efficiency and keeping a lid on costs. Wesco offers a comprehensive suite of data center services that help bridge skills gaps and ensure that data centers have the resources they need to optimize their operations and remain competitive.

What Are the Ideal Solutions to Support Efficient High-Density Data Center Operations?
|

What Are the Ideal Solutions to Support Efficient High-Density Data Center Operations?

The continued growth and development of AI means an increased need for powerful data centers to process and store large amounts of data. More than 60% of data center operators are preparing to increase the number of IT racks in their data center installations to properly handle the growing workload. This article will look at how high-density data centers work and the kinds of IT racks, cooling units, and accessories operators need to achieve the greatest possible performance with this kind of data center.

Specifying Shallow and Offset 19” Rack Cases for Complex Rack Installations
| |

Specifying Shallow and Offset 19” Rack Cases for Complex Rack Installations

The world is seeing increasing interest in shallow-depth and offset/asymmetrical cases for 19″ rack electronics. They’re becoming more popular for a wide range of applications – fitting neatly into spaces where deeper or conventional symmetrical enclosures would be impractical or impossible to use. These cases are ideal for wall-mounted racks, where space constraints and weight considerations call for a compact and lightweight solution. These features make them perfect for applications in healthcare, retail or edge computing where space can be limited.

Protect Your Electronics With OKW’s UV-Resistant Plastic Enclosures
| |

Protect Your Electronics With OKW’s UV-Resistant Plastic Enclosures

Prolonged exposure to sunlight can discolor and degrade plastic enclosures. The ultraviolet (UV) rays cause a photochemical reaction, breaking down the polymer bonds. This process is known as photodegradation. And don’t just assume this is an outdoor issue. Even enclosures used exclusively indoors can still be susceptible to damage from sunlight. More than 50% of UVA rays can still pass through standard window glass. Even a dependable plastic such as ABS – which is widely used for electronic enclosures – will suffer a series of microcracks, affecting its appearance. The solution is to specify a UV-stable plastic as an alternative material for your enclosures.

Where Innovation in Wastewater Treatment Is Quenching the Need of a Growing Population
|

Where Innovation in Wastewater Treatment Is Quenching the Need of a Growing Population

Water is a global issue, but the management of water and wastewater is determined locally, characterized by topography, population and industry requirements. The one constant in cities throughout the world is that we have to achieve more with fewer resources. This requires innovation to develop new methodologies that reduce the risk of water shortages by increasing resilience, optimizing water production while reducing energy consumption, and minimizing the threats posed by flooding, contamination and poisoning.

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Revival: Repurposing and Extending the Life of Aging ATE Systems
|

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Revival: Repurposing and Extending the Life of Aging ATE Systems

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) and Automated Test Systems (ATS) serve the critical purpose of ensuring that electronic devices operate according to specifications in the field. As such, these systems are widely utilized for testing automotive electronics, batteries, telecom infrastructure, renewable energy systems, and consumer electronics. The aerospace and defense sectors also make substantial investments in ATE due to the criticality of electronics utilized in military equipment such as aircraft, naval vessels, and ground vehicles, as well as in various systems like weapons, radar, and wireless communication.

More Electric Drives, Less Pneumatics: What Does This Mean for the Power Supply?
|

More Electric Drives, Less Pneumatics: What Does This Mean for the Power Supply?

The shift from pneumatic to electric drives is a well-known development in the industry. However, in recent years, this topic has gained significant momentum. This is due to the continuously increasing cost pressure and the ever-stricter requirements for CO2 reductions. In both areas, the advantages of electric solutions prevail. This blog article illustrates, using the example of OEMs in the automotive industry, how smart industrial power supplies support the transition from pneumatic to electric drives.

Reducing Automotive Downtime with Remote IO and IO-Link Innovations

Reducing Automotive Downtime with Remote IO and IO-Link Innovations

In the fast-paced automotive industry, every second of manufacturing uptime counts. With potential losses of over $30,000 per minute, minimizing downtime is not just important – it’s crucial. Enter the game-changers: remote I/O and IO-Link technologies. These innovations have transformed the landscape, enabling automotive plants to significantly reduce downtime and shift towards proactive maintenance strategies.