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In the challenging fiscal year 2023, the SICK Group continued to maintain a momentum of solid growth. Group turnover increased by 5.4% to 2.307 billion euros. After deducting exchange rate factors, the group's turnover even increased by 8.8% compared with the previous year. The overall financial situation and earnings are good. In fiscal year 2023, the company invested 11.7% of its turnover in research and development. SICK continues to offer a broad, diverse and future-oriented solution portfolio to support the industrial digital transformation of customers around the world. The company submitted 70 patent applications for automation solutions based on software and AI technology in 2023, further promoting the rapid development of sensor intelligence. Currently, SICK has a total of 12,185 employees worldwide, and we will always move forward side by side with you. SICK not only performed well but also successfully achieved its goals. Revenue increased by 5.4% to 2.307 billion euros. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased by 15.1% compared with the previous year to €189 million. "FY2023 was full of challenges, but we were still able to achieve growth in turnover and profits, and we are very proud of the results we have achieved. More than 12,000 employees at SICK around the world are full of passion and work tirelessly to develop new solutions for customers, aiming to Rapidly adapting to market dynamics and making technological progress, despite the challenges that come one after another, the good business development situation in fiscal 2023 encourages us to work closely with customers and partners to jointly build industrial digitalization,” said Dr. Mats Gökstorp, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SICK AG. . The salient features of fiscal year 2023 are the spread of geopolitical conflicts, the slowdown in global economic development momentum, more stringent financing conditions, high inflation rates and benchmark interest rates, which in turn lead to restrictions on investment. "In addition to turnover and profit, our profitability has also improved. EBIT increased to 8.2% from 7.5% in the previous year. This reflects SICK's successful balance between short-term profitability and long-term technical support," explains Jan-H. Eberhardt, Member of the Executive Board of SICK AG. As of December 31, 2023, SICK had a total of 12,185 employees, an increase of 2.3% compared to the previous year. The focus of personnel growth is in the area of research and development. Headcount increased by 9.2% to 1,760. Innovative ideas in research and development have been transformed into specific products that meet market needs, and SICK has applied for 137 patents. Software-based solutions have been awarded 70 patents and are embedding artificial intelligence into SICK sensor hardware in an increasing number of applications. The company holds nearly 4,000 technology solution patents around the world, providing support to customer ...

Emerson today introduced the new PACSystems™ IPC 2010 compact industrial computer (IPC), a rugged industrial computer designed to handle a wide range of machine and discrete part manufacturing automation applications. The new solution serves manufacturing sites and OEM machine builders that require rugged, compact, durable IPC to cost-effectively support their Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and other digital transformation initiatives. To this end, IPC 2010 comes pre-installed with the PACEdge™ Industrial Edge Platform and Movicon.NExT™ SCADA software elements to help users run applications quickly through browser-based configuration. The configuration included will maintain software updates and reactive maintenance, allowing for an optimal balance of user productivity and reliability. IPC 2010 runs industrial-grade Linux with serial and Ethernet connectivity and can be used as a communications gateway in a variety of topologies and as an edge computing device simultaneously or alone. IPC 2010 can be used as a flexible protocol converter (and has many other computing capabilities) for IIoT, edge, OT/IT convergence, HMI visualization, SCADA connectivity, digital transformation and other tasks. Its hardware and software are designed to be adaptable, versatile and scalable, delivering a standard and consistent user experience that is easy to use, powerful and backed by Emerson Lifecycle Services. The IPC 2010 has a compact form factor, a wider operating temperature range than other passively cooled IPCs, power consumption as low as 4 watts, and a rugged package that allows it to be mounted in almost any location. This product is cost-effective with no annual license fees and no basic update and cybersecurity update costs. Features such as Movicon Connext©, WebHMI and more can be activated or added at any time. “Many customers undergoing digital transformation want to test the waters first, discover value from edge-enabled applications, and slowly build trust.” William Paczkowski, IPC 2010 product manager for Emerson’s Discrete Automation business, revealed, “IPC 2010 is designed specifically as an economical solution with pre-installed software to provide customers with fast, cost-effective operation.” Emerson has incorporated IPC 2010 into a wide range of products including leak detection, compressed air monitoring, dosing systems, cloud-enabled services and other packaged solutions. This flexible industrial technology product will benefit customers with its advanced functionality. To this end, IPC 2010 comes pre-installed with the PACEdge™ Industrial Edge Platform and Movicon.NExT™ SCADA software elements to help users run applications quickly through browser-based configuration. The configuration included will maintain software updates and reactive maintenance, allowing for an optimal balance of user productivity and reliability. IPC 2010 runs industrial-grade Linux with seria...

Rockwell Automation, the world's largest company committed to industrial automation and digital transformation, announced that it has strengthened its cooperation with Michelin, a French multinational tire manufacturing company, to focus on digital innovation of Michelin's manufacturing processes. The two parties have a history of cooperation for more than 30 years. This new step marks the strategic evolution of both parties from traditional automation to digitalization and demonstrates their commitment to continuous innovation. Key initiatives of this collaboration include: Modernizing traditional manufacturing equipment through digitalization Integrate advanced analytics and data science tools at the operational and factory levels, leveraging a broader ecosystem of partners, including Kalypso, a Rockwell Automation company Improve operational reliability and efficiency with digital solutions Frank Kulaszewicz, senior vice president of Rockwell Automation, said: "This new initiative is a testament to our growing relationship with Michelin. We are eager to build on our historical collaboration and leverage our combined strengths for the future." industrial challenges and drive digital innovation. This marks a new chapter in our cooperation, deepens our commitment to Michelin's digital transformation in the field of machine automation, and solidifies the mutual trust between our two companies."  The collaboration between Michelin and Rockwell Automation is comprehensive and covers multiple aspects of digital transformation. The joint efforts of both parties in prototype development and testing will verify the feasibility and effectiveness of new ideas and improve the efficiency of R&D plans, laying the foundation for continued co-innovation and co-development.

Small housing but large working range. Thanks to TOF technology (Time of Flight Technology), the new ODT3CL1-2M compact diffuse reflection sensor from Leuze has a working range of up to two meters. This 2-in-1 sensor detects objects and simultaneously transmits measurements. The ODT3CL1-2M solves the detection task and provides distance information for machine control. The sensor can also detect colored structured objects from a distance of up to two meters. With the new ODT3CL1-2M laser diffuse reflection sensor, the sensor specialist from Leuze is expanding the operating range of its 3C range of distance sensors. Thanks to innovative time-of-flight (TOF) technology, the switching and measuring sensor ODT3CL1-2M with background suppression has an operating range of up to two meters. This makes it suitable for a variety of applications in intralogistics where long distances need to be covered: for example, automated guided vehicles for monitoring the position of goods, controlling robotic grippers or quality control. Reliable use is guaranteed even under harsh conditions. This is because the sensor meets the high requirements of protection class IP69K. On automated guided vehicles, the ODT3CL1-2M optical sensor monitors whether pallets are received and transferred correctly. Practical 2-in-1 solution As a two-in-one solution, ODT3CL1-2M reduces users’ costs and workload in terms of procurement, installation, commissioning and operation. It has two independent switching points and is able to perform detection and measurement tasks simultaneously. As a result, system operators can address two needs using only one sensor. When using shuttles, for example, they can quickly transport goods to their target location, taking advantage of the advantage of independent switching points that can be optimally set and change speed. Diffuse reflectance sensors are ideal for checking shuttle car occupancy, they can detect whether a space is occupied In addition to detecting the presence of a component, the ODT3CL1-2M laser diffuse reflection sensor can also detect defined reference points on the component to check quality. Here, the sensors work reliably even with different surface structures.