Quarterly Newsletter - September 2020 Corrected

September 2020

The previous version sent this morning contained some broken links. We have corrected those and apologize for any inconvenience.

Message from the CEO

By Jose Rivera

As I did in my two previous newsletter contributions, I continue to cover the evolving topic of the pandemic and how it is impacting our community at their business and personal levels.

It is clear by now that the pandemic will be with us for a while on the centerstage. The “new normal” is a frequently used term that creates a false sense of stability. It implies that we have reached a new equilibrium.

Far from it, the current pandemic is generating a highly fluid state of constant, dramatic and fast changes. We may have gotten somewhat used to social distancing, wearing masks, not shaking hands, frequent handwashing and cancelled in-person events. Many highly challenging situations emerge for us to deal with.

Read the full article

Message from the Chair

By Luigi De Bernardini

I hope that, despite the continuous difficult situation, you had the possibility to rest a little and recharge batteries during summer. We will all need energy to manage the next months, which are shaping up to not be any simpler than the last ones.

In Europe, we are experiencing a new growth of the number of people found positive for COVID-19. Some countries just experienced a late wave of the pandemic, while others are suffering the increased number of people travelling for summer vacation.

Read the full article.

Quickies

By Lisa Richter

In no particular order, a few sundries:

1. Deals: If you are interested in attending Markets and Markets 2nd Annual Industry 4.0-Cybersecurity Virtual Conference, we got you. CSIA SI members attend free; partner members get a discount. Oh, and CSIA CEO Jose Rivera will be presenting “System Integrators enable digital transformation/Industry 4.0” on September 22. Check it out.

2. Training: Don’t forget that CSIA members also get discounts on several courses, including the new CSIA Estimation Course as well as the ISA’s cybersecurity courses.

3. Address change: Make sure your accounting and operations teams know about CSIA’s new address: 111 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1412, Chicago, IL 60604.

4. Renewals: Membership renewals will be rolling out this fall, if you are in budgeting season, set aside some dollars to keep your membership current and your Exchange profile fresh. Staff have been cooking up some new stuff, you’ll want it on that.

5. Funny Business: Speaking of which, you’ll want to rope off an hour on October 29 to join us “Out of Control: A CSIA Comedy Special,” featuring engineer turned comedian Don McMillan. Sponsored by Software Toolbox, this hour-long, member-only event promises to add some much-needed levity to our lives. You can get a taste here.

6. Annual Member Survey: Be sure to fill out the Annual Member Survey. Your feedback helps to guide our association in the future.

7. Not a member? Start filling out your application now. October is literally the best time of year to join because you get the rest of 2020 and all of 2021 covered in your membership dues. Also, see No. 4 above.

Questions? Send me an email, I’m here for it.

Machine Design and Control System Integrators Association Announce New Partnership

Machine Design and the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) have partnered to feature the association’s popular CSIA Exchange portal on Machine Design’s home web page.

“The importance of system integrators for automation projects has long been understood. The CSIA Exchange is a valuable resource for companies looking for skilled professionals to upgrade and develop automation solutions,” said Bob Vavra, Senior Content Director for Machine Design. “We are excited to be able to offer this free resource to our readers.”

The CSIA Exchange also provides information on more than 600 automation suppliers, content about common integration issues and a library of additional resources.

Busting myths about High Performance HMI

By Scott Duhaime

The human brain is remarkable. When we process visual information, our mind arranges what we are seeing for understanding, rather than offer a simple reflection of what is shown. However, our ability to do this breaks down when presented with imagery that is overly complex, uses too many different colors and provides no focal point or logical flow.

Take for example the image below. Visually, it’s like the odds and ends drawer in your kitchen where you can never find anything quickly. It’s distracting, and abnormal conditions don’t stand out. Visual presentations like this require advanced training and slow down an operator’s ability to respond to emerging problems.

Read the full article

LATAM member steps up to build respirators in Brazil

Renato Leal, CEO of CSIA Member GreyLogix, spearheaded an effort to produce badly needed medical equipment to help hard-hit Brazil cope with COVID-19. Watch this video to learn more.

PPP loan forgiveness FAQs

By Tim Hilligoss and Sarah Russell

The COVID-19 pandemic caught many by surprise, including business owners who were required to comply with forced business closures and others who experienced modified operating rules or dwindling demand. These changes were made against the backdrop of fear and concern about virus transmission that significantly altered consumer behavior. The combination of these events resulted in sharp cost-cutting measures, including employee furloughs, layoffs and terminations.

In a search for much-needed capital, many turned to the popular Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) due to the favorable terms and opportunity for loan forgiveness. As the SBA began accepting forgiveness applications from lenders on August 10, many borrowers have refocused on securing the maximum forgiveness amount possible.

Read the full article

The role of IoT in elevating industrial operations with environmental monitoring

By Sonali Priya

A smart factory can be termed as an automation facility that possesses advanced technological equipment that facilitates real-time production control. The Industrial Internet of Things is a concept that encompasses an array of innovations that have boosted the applicability of smart factories. What’s most disruptive about IIoT is the strength to tap into unprecedented insights on the factory floor to enhance processes and encourage productivity. A major chunk of these insights come from granular environmental wireless sensors.

Only very recently, overseeing environmental conditions across industrial campuses had been limited in nature due to the costs and complexities of legacy wireless solutions. Environmental data is small, but the number of resources and expenses required to cover an entire facility was vast.

Read the Full Article

ICYMI

Here’s your quarterly roundup of recent content you may have missed.

Industrial Automation Exchange Blog

Recent topics posted on the Exchange blog include:

● Casco Systems Donates Engineering Services to Create The X-VENT Ventilator

● Leveraging Automated Testing: Take Time to Fully Understand Your Needs and the Options and Capabilities of Automated Test Systems

● Make Automation Safety More Visible

● Get the 411 on the Way New Machines Revolutionized 420 Harvesting

● Calculating Safety Stock Is the Key to Minimizing Supply Chain Risk

Talking Industrial Automation Podcast

If you are a podcast fan, you’ll want to check out CSIA’s Talking Industrial Automation. Some of the latest episodes include:

● Episode 43: Lindsey Parker of Panduit talks about how the company recently merged the industrial and enterprise businesses, which gives ammunition to the IT/OT conversation.

● Episode 44: Cullen Raichart of GreenBroz Inc. tells the story of how he grew his cannabis processing equipment business from $60,000 in sales to $13 million in just 7 years.

● Episode 45: Micheal Gurney of Concept Systems reveals why he thinks the future of automation is “very, very bright.”

Business and Technical Webinars

CSIA members share their expertise in these free webinars as well as the new Webinar Wednesday series.

● An end user's long journey towards IIoT/Industry 4.0 (Members Only)

● The role of digitalization for integrators in the post COVID-19 (Members Only)

● What does 'safety first' mean in industrial automation

● How integrators can assess networks, prove network performance, and quickly resolve network problems while onsite or remote

● Fast roaming wireless networking for industrial applications

● Expert panel: What you need to know now about marketing

● Dodging the cybersecurity hazards in your digital transformation.

● The future of remote connection and its importance for system integrators

● Remote monitoring for water utilities: Maintaining operations in uncertain times

Interested in being a podcast guest or guest blogger? Both are available to member organizations that have upgraded to a Gold Profile. Contact Lisa Richter to learn how you can take advantage of these opportunities to position your C-suite as thought leaders.

Interested in hosting a webinar? CSIA members can contact Collin Hamman to get on the schedule today!

LATAM Update / Noticias de LATAM

Obligatory technological change: Every man for himself!

By Carolina Casas Anzola

Every day I am amazed at how quickly the technological and digital revolution evolves -- the electrocardiogram function of the Apple Watch and flying taxis helping Silicon Valley CEOs avoid city traffic are just some of the examples.

At the beginning of the year, I read Who Can Save Themselves!, a book by the Argentine journalist and writer Andrés Oppenheimer published in 2018. If, like me, you enjoy technological innovations, you will love this book, as it allows you to take a look at the future and the new technologies with which we will be living daily in the coming years.

Read the full story.

Cambio tecnológico obligado: Sálvese quien pueda!

Por: Carolina Casas Anzola

Cada día es muy común ver casos como la función de electrocardiograma del Apple Watch o de los taxis voladores de una empresa llamada Blade, que está ayudando a los directores ejecutivos de Silicon Valley a evitar el tráfico de la ciudad. En lo personal cada día me sigo sorprendiendo de lo rápido que evoluciona esta nueva revolución tecnológica y digital.

A principios de año leí “¡Sálvese quien pueda!”, un libro del periodista y escritor argentino Andrés Oppenheimer publicado en 2018. Si al igual que yo, ustedes disfrutan de las innovaciones tecnológicas, este libro les encantará, pues permite echar un vistazo al futuro y a las nuevas tecnologías con las que estaremos conviviendo a diario en los próximos años.

Lee la historia completa.

Media opportunities

Does the thought of being featured in industry news outlets excite you? Do you want greater name recognition among your colleagues? Are you looking for way to boost your ranking in search engines?

Or do you simply love what you do and want to write about it?

Take a look at the media opportunities below — exclusively for CSIA members. Click on each one to see details in our Open Forum (log-in required):

Control Design's newest column, Building Blocks, will feature different components (enclosures, terminal blocks) that machine builders use in industrial automation.