Industry Automation News

AI Summary EXAIR has launched a new online selection calculator for its Cabinet Cooler systems, which are designed to cool and purge electronic enclosures in industrial settings. These coolers offer capacities up to 5,600 BTU/hr and are available with NEMA 12, 4, 4X, and hazardous location ratings. Why this matters: For buyers of PLCs, drives, and sensors, this tool simplifies specifying the correct thermal management solution to prevent heat-related failures and downtime in sensitive control cabinets, ensuring reliable operation in harsh environments.

AI Summary AutomationDirect has expanded its STRIDE PRO Unmanaged+ industrial Ethernet switch lineup, adding features like IGMP snooping for traffic prioritization, port mirroring, VLAN support, and port alarms—offering a step up from basic unmanaged switches. For procurement managers and engineers sourcing components for PLCs, drives, sensors, or robots, this matters because IGMP snooping reduces network congestion and improves deterministic data flow in automated systems, while VLAN support enhances segmentation for safer, more reliable machine-to-machine communication.

AI Summary A stretchable sensor from Michigan State University, featured in the July 2026 issue of Design World, translates muscle signals into motion with over 97% gesture-recognition accuracy in older adults, up from 60%. Why this matters: This breakthrough in flexible, high-precision sensing signals a future where human-machine interfaces for industrial robots and collaborative automation could become far more intuitive and reliable, reducing the need for traditional rigid sensors and enabling safer, adaptive control in environments where operators have limited mobility.

AI Summary A new venturi design replaces the single-throat approach with multiple internal choke regions, altering the traditional suction-to-outflow relationship for improved efficiency. For procurement managers and engineers sourcing pneumatic components for PLC-controlled systems, drives, or robotic end-effectors, this innovation could reduce compressed air consumption and enhance vacuum performance in material handling applications. Grow Greenie’s redesigned geometry offers potential cost savings and reliability gains in automated assembly lines.

AI Summary AutomationDirect now stocks the Lapp ÖLFLEX VFD 1XL cable, designed to mitigate EMI, motor stress, and premature failure in PWM-driven VFD applications. Its XLPE Plus insulation and fine-stranded tinned copper conductors improve flexibility and electrical performance. Why this matters: For engineers managing drives, PLCs, or robotic systems, this cable reduces nuisance faults and extends equipment life, directly lowering downtime and replacement costs in high-frequency switching environments.

AI Summary Carlo Gavazzi has released the DCM2 direct-connection DC energy meters, supporting systems up to 1,500 V DC, 1,500 A DC, and 2.25 MW, expanding their DC metering portfolio. For procurement managers and engineers sourcing components for PLCs, drives, and robots, this matters because high-voltage DC monitoring is increasingly critical for efficient regenerative drives, battery storage systems, and DC microgrids in automated factories. The DCM2 enables precise energy tracking directly at the DC bus, helping optimize power usage and reduce operational costs in high-power industrial applications.

AI Summary Military-grade laser weapons have now been successfully used in combat to down drones, marking a long-anticipated technological milestone. For procurement managers and engineers in industrial automation, this signals a rapid maturation of precision optical and targeting systems—technologies that will increasingly trickle down into commercial sensors, vision systems, and safety lasers for factory floors. Expect tighter integration of high-power laser diodes and advanced beam-steering components into next-gen PLCs, drives, and robotic guidance, demanding updated specifications for reliability and safety in automated environments.

AI Summary AutomationDirect has added Fuji Electric TK-E02 series thermal overload relays to its lineup, designed for protecting smaller motors and lower-current applications from overloads, locked-rotor, and open-phase faults. These relays feature an adjustable current dial and visible trip indication. Why this matters: For procurement managers and engineers specifying motor control systems, this expands a reliable, cost-effective protection option for low-current drives and PLC-controlled machinery, reducing downtime risks and simplifying inventory sourcing from a single distributor.

AI Summary At Advantech's Edge AI Conference, President Linda Tsai highlighted the company's 2020 ESG office initiative and discussed how AI can improve energy efficiency for manufacturers. For procurement managers and engineers sourcing PLCs, drives, sensors, or robots, this matters because energy-efficient AI integration directly reduces operational costs and supports sustainability compliance, making Advantech's edge solutions a strategic consideration for future-proofing automation investments.

AI Summary Carlo Gavazzi has launched the DRC61 Series insulation monitor for unearthed DC systems up to 1,000 V DC, targeting EV charging infrastructure. Why this matters: As EV charging stations become more integrated into factory and facility power networks, this device helps protect sensitive automation equipment like PLCs and drives from ground faults, reducing unplanned downtime. Procurement managers should note this as a safety-critical component for expanding DC power distribution in industrial and charging applications.

AI Summary ABB Robotics has partnered with Roche Diagnostics to develop and commercialize robotic solutions for clinical lab automation, focusing on connected systems for flexible workflows. Why this matters: This collaboration signals growing demand for precision robotics and integrated control systems outside traditional manufacturing, opening new opportunities for suppliers of PLCs, drives, and sensors in the life sciences sector. Procurement managers should monitor this trend as it may drive new specifications for hygienic design, high-speed motion control, and seamless data connectivity in robotic platforms.