Corey Kraft

We asked Emulate3D by Rockwell Automation Product Manager Andrew Deeble what his favorite new feature is for the upcoming March 31st release. "Test Runner for Virtual Commissioning in Emulate3D 2025," provides ideas on how users can apply structured testing to your automation logic. How does this happen? By supercharging users PLC code, robot programs and supervisory logic. 📽️ Check out the latest featured spotlight video: https://lnkd.in/d77RBfJB ​

55

2 Comments

A Guide to Choosing the Right Words Imagine a user reading a manual that says: "Ensure the device is appropriately configured before initiating the operational sequence." What does that even mean? Wouldn't "Set up the device before use." be clearer? Choosing the right words and phrases is crucial in technical writing. Your goal is to make complex information precise, clear, and easy to understand. Here’s how to find the right words for your technical documents. #technicaldocumentation #technicalwriting #technicalwriter #writing

38

8 Comments

The Hidden Cost of Inaction in Manufacturing Technology Delaying manufacturing tech investments is not a neutral choice. It quietly erodes your plant’s capacity to meet demand, capability to deliver consistently, and visibility to make intelligent decisions. You lose ground while thinking you are standing still. “Let’s Revisit This Next Quarter.” I recently heard this from both a $2B global manufacturer and a $100M regional player. In both cases, the tech was validated, the business case was strong—and yet, inertia. The decision to “wait for the next quarter” was framed as prudent. But it comes at a real cost. Every quarter of delay compounds the Delay Tax. For a $200M high-mix discrete precision parts manufacturer, here is what it looks like: Throughput Loss: OEE from 60% to 72% = +$10M/year Unplanned Downtime: 40 hours @ $125K/hour = +$5M/year Premium Freight: Halving a $2M expedite bill = +$1M/year External Failures: 0.5% improvement = +$1M/year Energy Waste: Optimization savings = +$0.5–$1.5M/year Total value at stake: ~$17M/year Two-year delay = ~$20M lost in present value (10% discount) These numbers are conservative. They do not include inventory turns, workforce ramp-up, or cyber risk mitigation. If the cost of waiting exceeds the cost of action, it is time to act. 📘 Read the blog: https://lnkd.in/dCQpre2x #ManufacturingExcellence #SmartManufacturing #DigitalTransformation #Industry40 #OperationalExcellence #ManufacturingLeadership #CapExROI #DelayTax #MfgTech #ConnectedFactory How to Break the Delay Loop   A 12-month roadmap with 10–15 digital use cases tied to P&L impact Replicable tools across sites, with shared digital backbone Assigned owners for each use case, with tracked outcomes Connected worker programs for faster onboarding and tribal knowledge capture Reliability and energy analytics that self-trigger actions Next step   To identify your top use cases and digital roadmap, leverage the Smart Industry Readiness Index assessment and framework (https://incit.org).  Build your Manufacturing Technology Balance Sheet (MTBS) and quantify your delay tax. Use it to justify investments with real payback and to start the conversation at the boardroom table. If you would like to learn how to build MTBS, ask us!

17

6 Comments

Most OEMs I’ve worked with treat Recipe Management like a PLC and HMI problem. And if you stick to legacy SCADA platforms, yeah - they usually have some kind of built-in recipe handler…   But in my experience? It’s either a prohibitively expensive license, incredibly cumbersome, unintuitive, siloed or both.   Worse, it rarely plays well with other systems. That’s why I’ve seen more ActiveX, VBA, and SQL hacks than anyone using those tools as intended.   But here’s the thing: Recipe Management isn’t a SCADA-layer function. It lives upstream, from ERP to MES and the production floor.   And if we want to break out of the legacy “threaded” model, we need shared infrastructure.   SQL works because it’s familiar across the stack - from OT to IT. Not perfect, not the only answer, but it’s proven.   I’ve even used MS Access… And it was still better than what the SCADA platform was offering.   A common example of this? - ERP owns the Master Recipe - MES handles the Execution Context - SCADA displays it – and allow for last mile tweaks - PLCs execute the Recipe How does your team handle recipes? Do you centralize them - or is every PLC on its own?   If you do centralize them? Are you using SQL, MS Access, Graph, NoSQL, an Recipe Management System (RMS), or something else?   #PLCProgramming #MES #SCADA #DigitalTransformation #IndustrialAutomation #ControlSystems #SQL #RecipeManagement

37

9 Comments

We asked Emulate3D by Rockwell Automation Product Manager Andrew Deeble what his favorite new feature is for the upcoming March 31st release. "Test Runner for Virtual Commissioning in Emulate3D 2025," provides ideas on how users can apply structured testing to your automation logic. How does this happen? By supercharging users PLC code, robot programs and supervisory logic. 📽️ Check out the latest featured spotlight video: https://lnkd.in/d9PcubdT ​

35

2 Comments

We asked Emulate3D by Rockwell Automation Product Manager Andrew Deeble what his favorite new feature is for the upcoming March 31st release. "Test Runner for Virtual Commissioning in Emulate3D 2025," provides ideas on how users can apply structured testing to your automation logic. How does this happen? By supercharging users PLC code, robot programs and supervisory logic. 📽️ Check out the latest featured spotlight video: https://lnkd.in/e2FGNDRk ​

11

2 Comments

PI Expert's Design Evaluation function allows you to review the performance of your power supply design. It includes a pie chart and a line chart that show you detailed breakdown of the losses. Trevor Hiatt demonstrates how to use the Design Evaluation tab in PI Expert in this video. Try PI Expert today - https://okt.to/8yDB0N

12

How do you learn electrical troubleshooting? You HAVE to go experience electrical problems in real life. You cant read a book about it even though I've thought about how I would write about it. In the beginning there are so many questions but over time patterns emerge and you see the same things break and the amount of times you are surprised decreases. I genuinely believe the skill of troubleshooting is the last frontier for those looking for real adventure. Below is an ABB PLC and HMI, both require 24VDC power and RJ45 ethernet cable for communication with each other and the computer used to program it. Today AI can write PLC code but so far it cant troubleshoot until we teach it everything we look for when we look for why an issue has occurred.

206

39 Comments

"Many manufacturers end up trapped with outdated systems because the validation effort simply isn't worth it." Sound familiar? You're not alone. The hidden cost of traditional MES validation isn't just time—it's opportunity lost. Our latest blog reveals how MasterControl customers achieve: 🔸 90% fewer data errors 🔸 30% greater efficiency 🔸 80% faster GMP review 🔸 First-year savings of $250K-$300K Discover how modern validation approaches are transforming life sciences manufacturing from burden to competitive advantage. https://lnkd.in/gbKfD5rY

8