Automation students from around the world recognised.

International Automation Society awards Scholarships to 31 students from 7 countries.

The International Society of Automation (ISA)  has announced the recipients of its 2026 scholarships. Thirty-one students from seven countries have been awarded 62,000 USD to support tuition and research activities.

ISA scholarships are awarded to college or university students who demonstrate outstanding potential for long-range contribution to the fields of automation, instrumentation, systems and control. The scholarship awards support tuition and related expenses and research activities and initiatives. More information about the program is available here on the ISA site.
 

“On behalf of ISA, I am pleased to congratulate this year’s outstanding scholarship recipients,” said Claire Fallon, CEO of ISA. “Investing in the next generation of automation professionals is central to our mission of creating a better world through automation. We are proud to recognize so many talented students and look forward to the contributions they will make in advancing and strengthening our field.”

Recipients of ISA scholarships in 2026 in the named endowment category include: 

Luis Matias Jimenez Sanchez
Universidad de las Américas – Quito, Pichincha, EC

Bob & Mary Ives Endowment

Lauren Fortier
Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Massachusetts, US

Daris & Gerald Wilbanks Endowment

Tanishka Manoj Dixit
Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Technology – Pune, Maharashtra, IN

Huston Endowment

Recipients of ISA scholarships in the 2026 General Education Fund include:

Arya Prasanna Pakhare
Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Technology – Pune, Maharashtra, IN

Khushi Varma
MKSSS's Cummins College of Engineering for Women – Pune, Maharashtra, IN

Mohamadali Tofigh
University of Alberta – Edmonton, Alberta, CA

Paayal Kapoor
Vivekanand Education Society's Institute of Technology – Mumbai, Maharashtra, IN

Pranav Ganesh Ram
National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli – Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, IN

Prapti Bordoloi
University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, Minnesota, US

Yifan Li
Tsinghua University – Beijing, Beijing, CN

Danyal Saqib
University of British Columbia – Vancouver, British Columbia, CA

Abubakar Habeeb Akolawole
University of Ilorin – Ilorin, Kwara, NG

Kavya Ramteke
MKSSS's Cummins College of Engineering for Women – Pune, Maharashtra, IN

Kishan Ajay Dubey
Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering – Mumbai, Maharashtra, IN

Maxwell Alton Mamishev
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Champaign, Illinois, US

Mayuresh Rhushikesh Joshi
Vivekanand Education Society's Institute of Technology – Chembur, Maharashtra, IN

Niraj Pattnayak
U.V. Patel College of Engineering, Ganpat University – Mehsana, Gujarat, IN

Noreen Abdelwahab
University of British Columbia – Vancouver, British Columbia, CA

Roshan Kumar J
REVA University – Bengaluru, Karnataka, IN

Shreya S
REVA University – Bengaluru, Karnataka, IN

Shruti Kokil
MKSSS's Cummins College of Engineering for Women – Pune, Maharashtra, IN

Suhani Jagdish Patil
MKSSS's Cummins College of Engineering for Women – Pune, Maharashtra, IN

Chethan S
REVA University – Bengaluru, Karnataka, IN

Deyi Kong
University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, Minnesota, US

Madhu Sudhan N
REVA University – Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Manikandan Pandiyan
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Michigan, US

Rucha Dhananjay Palsikar
MKSSS's Cummins College of Engineering for Women – Pune, Maharashtra, IN

Sayalee Mahagaonkar
Vivekanand Education Society's Institute of Technology – Mumbai, Maharashtra, IN

Shrivatsa Deshmukh
University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, Minnesota, US

Thom Hall
Aims Community College – Greeley, Colorado, US

Yasmeen Hassan Al Lawati

Sultan Qaboos University – Al Seeb, Muscat, OM 

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@ISA_Automation @automation_com #Pauto #Education #Training

Responsible dissolution.

Manufacturing with IT assets protected.

MESA International has served as a trusted global community advancing the use of manufacturing technology through collaboration, education, and best practices for over three decades. In 1992, a group of manufacturing technology luminaries gathered to form a membership society, and MESA members have been delivering excellence around what is now known as smart manufacturing ever since! The relationships built, the knowledge shared, and the progress made through this community represent a legacy the organisation is deeply proud of.  However, with great respect for that legacy that the MESA International Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the organisation effective June 30, 2026.  

This was not a decision made lightly. After careful review of the organisation's financial position and operational capacity, the board determined that voluntary dissolution is the responsible and appropriate path forward. We want to be transparent with the broader manufacturing community that has followed and engaged with MESA's work over the years.  

What happens to the resources?
The International Society of Automation (ISA) has agreed to serve as the new home for MESA's assets and content*. ISA is a global 501c(3) organisation whose standards, including ISA-95 and ISA-88, form the technical foundation of much of MESA's educational work. MESA's content, resources, and community programs will be accessible through ISA going forward.  The board thanked all those who have engaged with MESA International over the years. "This community has made a real difference in manufacturing operations around the world," their spokesperson concluded.  

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*See ISA Release: ISA Announces Assumption of MESA International Educational Programs and Content. (30/6/2026) 

@MESAp2e @ISA_Automation @automation_com #Pauto #Research

Developing smart manufacturing talent.

Rockwell have expanded their long-standing partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey (MX), supporting closer connections and learning on advanced manufacturing technologies. Mexico’s top-ranked university and member of the International Association of Learning Factories uses Rockwell technologies and curriculum input to create the smart manufacturing environment in a college learning setting. Tec de Monterrey shares the experiences of this environment at the Conference of Learning Factories every year.

In July, a team from Tec de Monterrey met with instructors and administrators in Cleveland State University’s Rockwell Automation Connected Enterprise Laboratory. The Tec team also forged relationships and found new synergies at Rockwell’s 2025 Automation Fair® in Chicago (USA).

In October, Tec’s mechatronics community, Rockwell experts, and manufacturers delved into digital engineering together at an international conference hosted at the university’s Toluca and Monterrey campuses, with more industry collaboration in Monterrey. “Manufacturers are looking for specialized talent in digital twin software,” said Oscar Lopez Suarez, Rockwell solution consultant lead. “We’re working with Tec de Monterrey to cover this gap and prepare students for smart manufacturing jobs in their region.”

Each semester, Tec engineering students participate in challenge-based learning. “Our objective is for students to develop not only technical skills, but also knowledge and ability in critical thinking, project management, safety, and international manufacturing standards,” said Dr. Raquel Tejada, a Department of Mechatronics professor in Tec’s School of Engineering and Sciences. “We want them to integrate all of these, to have the whole picture, so they are ready for real-world success.”

Developing digital twin talent.
Demand for digital twin skills is skyrocketing as manufacturers adopt 3D emulation technology, which saves time and resources during automation systems design and implementation. At Tec de Monterrey, engineering students built cutting-edge 3D emulation skills in their final project when they integrated technologies from Rockwell Automation, Endress+Hauser Group, and our partner NVIDIA in emulations that connected virtual design with physical plant control systems and instrumentation, and created immersive virtual reality tours. Through the collaborative learning experience with Tec de Monterrey professors and industry experts, the students developed the tools and confidence to launch their careers in Industry 4.0.

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@ROKAutomation @TecdeMonterrey @ROKAutoEMEA #PAuto #Mexico

Training in automation standards for Europe.

Some exciting changes are happening for delivering International Society of Automation (ISA) training in Europe and beyond. Training was organised through the ISA Europe office for many years, this training will now be offered by OTT (Operational Technology Training) as an ISA Authorised Training Reseller starting in the new year.

Bram van der Klooster and Esther Vervoort
launch OTT

This new company will offer the same high-quality training programs tailored to the needs of today’s dynamic industrial landscape.

Through this partnership with ISA, we will continue to offer the same great training to customers in Europe and elsewhere around the world as was offered under the inestimable expertese of Pieter van der Klooster for the last fifteen if not more years. Indeed, OTT as an independent company is led by his two children by Esther Vervoort and Bram van der Klooster.  Thus it builds on the training experience that has helped over ten thousand engineers in the past years. It is also located conveniently for much of the continent in Eindhoven (NL).

This transition is an organisational and administrative change, not a change in the training content or experience for customers. Existing and future training offerings remain strictly aligned with ISA standards and content which are recognised internationally throughout Europe and the world.

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@ISA_Automation @automation_com  #OTT #PAuto #Cybersecurity #Europe

Learning Test+Measurement.

Two dates for the Rhode + Schwarz Navigating Test & Measurement seminars have been announced for Cambridge (GB) on 3 February 2025 and Bolton (GB) on 5 February 2025. With hands-on sessions guided by Rohde & Schwarz test experts, the purely educational events show engineers how to get the best from commonly used benchtop equipment. The Navigating Test & Measurement seminars offers the opportunity to discover practical approaches for addressing design validation and optimisation challenges.

“Our Navigating Test & Measurement days are a great opportunity to build confidence and sharpen skills in operating test and measurement equipment,” said Jamie Lunn, vector network analyser product manager at Rohde & Schwarz. “The program is designed for engineers at any stage in their careers, whether growing their expertise from the ground up or updating their skills with the latest equipment.”

The schedule for the seminar allows delegates to navigate between two learning streams according to their interests. 

Throughout the day, Stream 1 introduces vector network analysers, signal and spectrum analysers, and signal generators, used for tasks such as optimising RF components and high-frequency designs. 

Stream 2 focuses on ensuring robust and reliable performance with Oscilloscopes and delving into applications such as Power Electronics and Signal Integrity.

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@RohdeSchwarz @NapierPR #TandM #Britain

Importance of training in IT/OT skills.

As businesses break down the silos between information technology and operational technology, the need for professionals who can bridge these disciplines grows ever more critical. Yet, there is a growing gap between the skills demanded by IT/OT convergence and the education provided by traditional academic curricula. 

 

“The most important skill professionals can develop today is learning to leverage technology to transform their work,” advises Jan-Henrik Svensson, CEO of Beamex in his recent analysis of the issue.

Professionals must equip themselves with hybrid skill sets that include technological fluency, cybersecurity awareness, and data analytics. This skills shortage threatens to slow digital transformation across industries.

“Waiting for academic institutions to catch up is not an option,” stresses Svensson. “Professionals and organisations must invest in proactive training and strategic upskilling initiatives to ensure they remain competitive.”

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@BeamexGlobal #PAuto  #TandM #Training

Investment in AI training for robotic vision.

Pre-trained models, smart data workflows and no-code tools reduce training time by 80% and accelerate deployment in fast-moving sectors including logistics, healthcare, and food & beverage.

ABB Robotics has invested in California (USA)-based LandingAI to accelerate the transformation of vision AI, making it faster, more intuitive, and accessible to a broader range of users. This first of its kind collaboration will integrate LandingAI’s vision AI capabilities, like LandingLensTM, into ABB Robotics’ own software suite, marking another milestone in ABB’s journey towards truly autonomous and versatile robots.

“This announcement is the latest in our decade-long journey to innovate and commercialize AI, benefitting our customers by enhancing robot versatility and autonomy to expand the use of robots beyond traditional manufacturing,” said Sami Atiya, President of ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation. “The demand for AI in robotics is driven by the need for greater flexibility, faster commissioning cycles and a shortage of the specialist skills needed to program and operate robots. Our collaboration with LandingAI will mean installation and deployment time is done in hours instead of weeks, allowing more businesses to automate smarter, faster and more efficiently.”

As part of the collaboration ABB has made a venture capital investment through ABB Robotics Ventures, the strategic venture capital unit of ABB Robotics, driving collaboration and investment in innovative early-stage companies that are shaping the future of robotics and automation. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed.

LandingAI’s LandingLens is a vision AI platform that enables the rapid training of vision AI systems to recognize and respond to objects, patterns or defects with no complex programming or AI expertise required.

Through this collaboration, ABB Robotics will reduce robot vision AI training and deployment time by up to 80 percent. Once deployed, system integrators and end users can retrain the AI for new scenarios on their own, unlocking a new level of versatility. This is a critical step in scaling robot adoption in dynamic environments, beyond traditional manufacturing, especially in fast-moving sectors such as logistics, healthcare and food and beverage. ABB is already piloting LandingAI’s technology and actively working to integrate it into existing vision AI applications, including item-picking, sorting, depalletizing and quality inspection.

“AI is advancing quickly, creating many opportunities, but also requiring us to keep learning and adapting new skills,” said Dan Maloney, Chief Executive Officer of LandingAI. “By combining LandingAI’s vision AI capabilities with ABB’s robots and software, we can make automation more accessible. This makes it easier for businesses to deploy and scale intelligent robotic systems that are practical and useful.” 

ABB Robotics is the only robotics company offering a fully integrated AI training tool within its software suite. It will be available alongside their powerful simulation and programming tool RobotStudio®, which features digital twin capabilities to further simplify commissioning.

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@ABBRobotics @LandingAI @ABBgroupnews @abb_automation @NapierPR #Robotics #PAuto

Automation scholorships awarded.

The International Society of Automation (ISA) has announced the recipients of its 2025 scholarships. Thirty-three students from seven countries have been awarded US$66,000 to support tuition and research activities. The countries include Australia, Britain, Canada, India, Ireland, Nigeria and the U.S.A.

Claire Fallon ISA CEO

ISA scholarships are awarded to college or university students who demonstrate outstanding potential for long-range contribution to the fields of automation, instrumentation, systems, and control. The scholarship awards support tuition and related expenses and research activities and initiatives. 

“On behalf of ISA, I am honored to congratulate this year’s exceptional scholarship recipients,” said Claire Fallon, ISA CEO and executive director. “Supporting the next generation of automation professionals is key to ISA’s mission of building a better world through automation. We are proud to be able to award so many talented students this year, and we look forward to seeing how they will shape and strengthen our field in the future.”

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@ISA_Automation @automation_com #PAuto #Education #Training

Digital centre to help manufacturers' improvements.

Interactive learning environment shows how advanced automation solutions deliver actionable insights to accelerate operational performance improvements

Emerson has launched its Digital Experience Centre – an interactive training environment showcasing the company’s extensive range of advanced automation solutions. Manufacturers and process industry users visiting the Centre – located within Emerson’s manufacturing facility in Ede (NL) – can gain hands-on experience with transformative digital technologies and learn how they provide actionable insights, helping to achieve improvements in relation to safety, productivity, reliability and sustainability.

Emerson has an industry-leading portfolio of automation solutions for digitising operations and processes across a broad range of industries. The new Centre hosts live demonstrations of many of these technologies, including the DeltaV™ Distributed Control System operating a diverse range of industrial measurement and control applications. These modern, advanced technologies are helping bring Emerson’s Boundless Automation™ vision for a next generation architecture.

Boundless Automation aims to liberate siloed data, eliminate operational blind spots, and unleash the power of analytics software to help identify opportunities for accelerating plant performance improvements. This begins with an intelligent field, utilising advanced sensors and devices along with innovative connectivity solutions such as Bluetooth®, WirelessHART® and 5G that seamlessly transmit data from a broad range of measurement applications. The Centre highlights various examples of these applications, including:

• Non-intrusive wireless corrosion detection systems that enable safer, more profitable operations by continuously monitoring for pipework metal loss.
• Wireless acoustic measurement sensors that help to reduce energy usage and emissions by detecting leaks from steam traps or pressure relief valves.
• Sensors that increase safety by monitoring the condition of highly reactive and flammable chemicals in portable storage totes.

The Digital Experience Centre complements the existing flow training Centre at the Ede facility and utilises an operational flow loop that simulates real world applications in a live but safe environment. Visitors will learn how to reduce the complexity, time and cost of integrating additional sensors without impacting their existing control system architectures, using software deployed on edge PCs or in the cloud.

Opening the Digital Experience Center (left to right): Guido Wink, Vice President Europe Systems, Marlies Kock, General Manager Benelux, Phil Bond, Vice President Europe Measurement Solutions, Phillipp Strauch, Vice President & General Manager DACH.

“Our new Digital Experience Centre is a world-class facility offering a hands-on interactive environment that can simulate real-world manufacturing conditions,” said Phillip Bond, vice president of Emerson’s measurement business in Europe. “The Centre facilitates learning, experimentation and simulation, enabling manufacturers and process industry users to discover how our latest digital solutions deliver greater visibility into multiple aspects of their process, helping them to identify significant performance gains.”

The Digital Experience Centre supports Emerson’s goal to drive performance improvements through the implementation of advanced automation technologies and digital transformation strategies. This aspiration is central to the company’s sponsorship of the forthcoming NAMUR Annual General Meeting in Neuss, Germany, where Emerson experts will explain to industry leaders how modern automation solutions empower companies to optimise their production facilities.

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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #Europe #Training

Virtual reality health and safety training.

Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) and BioPharmaChem Skillnet, one of 70 Skillnet Business Networks nationwide, have launched an exciting new Virtual Reality (VR) programme designed specifically for workplace health and safety training.

Ireland is the third largest exporter of complex pharmaceutical goods and medicines and the second largest exporter of vaccines in Europe, with over €100bn in annual exports, 84,000 people directly and indirectly employed, and a further 10,000 jobs to be created over the next five years. The use of innovative technologies such as VR, increases engagement and knowledge retention while decreasing training time, and engages learners in real-world scenarios that teach important skills and concepts.

Dr Paul Maguire, Head of Innovation and Knowledge Transfer, TU Dublin acknowledged the importance of the ongoing collaboration between the research partners: "We are delighted that TU Dublin is continuing our involvement with BioPharmaChem Skillnet, an organisation that is supporting one of the largest and most important sectors in Ireland providing thousands of jobs. This partnership highlights the world-leading research capabilities of Brian and this team in the VR/AR space and their ability and desire to solve immediate industry challenges. It also spotlights the excellent working relationship that TU Dublin has with BioPharmaChem Skillnet, facilitated by David Gardiner in TU Dublin Innovation via our Open Labs R&D outreach initiative."

The programme is the third course co-developed by the Skillnet Business Network and TU Dublin, which harnesses the power of VR and offers an innovative approach to mixed reality training for diverse industries. The VR technology provides a seamless interface with existing simulations in a modular framework to train staff across many sectors in Ireland. It follows on from the success of the previous two VR programmes ‘Aseptic Techniques for Biomanufacturing,’ and ‘Power Handling’, both of which were nominated for multiple innovation and industry awards.

The new programme was developed in collaboration with Dr Brian Vaughan, Founder and Director of the Virtual Interaction Research Lab (VIRal) at TU Dublin. VIRal is a cutting edge virtual, and augmented, reality research and development environment, in a large, dedicated space.

BioPharmaChem Skillnet provides upskilling to businesses of all sizes in the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, medical device, and chemical supply sectors. The network’s mission is to further advance Ireland’s position as a world leader in health innovation through leading-edge talent development solutions.

“This is our third time working with BioPharmaChem Skillnet and we have always found them to be an insightful forward-thinking organisation pushing the boundaries of training in the industry. It's always great to work with them to co-create Mixed Reality training applications that incorporate cutting-edge technologies with robust pedagogical principles and methods,” said Founder & Director VIRal, Dr Brian Vaughn.

"As the BioPharmaChem sector continues to embrace immersive technologies, we identified the potential for virtual reality to address some of the known key challenges in health and safety that are high risk and time consuming," said Susan Costello, Network Director, BioPharmaChem Skillnet. "VIRal at TU Dublin was able to provide the expertise required to transform the concept of a VR programme into a reality. Dr Brian Vaughan and the team in TU Dublin ensured that the process ran seamlessly and were able to advise, adapt and reinvent when required. The programme would not have been possible without their expertise and the support of Skillnet Ireland, BioPharmaChem Ireland along with the expertise and time that industry members gave to articulate the needs around this training for the sector."

Pictured at the launch are (l-r): Siobhan Broughan (Skillnet), David Gardiner (TUD), Susan Costello and Brendan Kellet (BioPharmaChem), Dr. Brian Vaughn and Jazheel Luna (TUD VIRaL), Sinead Keogh (IBEC), and Dr. Paul Maguire (TUD).

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@WeAreTUDublin @BPCSkillnet #PAuto #HandS #Safety

Excellence training centre opened.

Creating opportunities for current and future employees to advance their technical skills and wellness.

TriNova have announced the completion of its Endress Core of Excellence Education and Wellness Center in Mobile, (AL USA). The new facility - just opened - will create development opportunities for employees and fellow representative partners and improve networking capabilities. TriNova have acted as sales and service representative partner of Endress+Hauser for more than 20 years

“TriNova’s new Endress Core of Excellence Education and Wellness Center symbolizes the growth and progress that both companies have achieved together,” Endress+Hauser USA General Manager Todd Lucey said. “This new facility will be instrumental in creating future community connections and educational engagement to benefit talent pipelines for TriNova, Endress+Hauser and the greater process industry. Organizations that attract and grow their own workforce will be leaders in the market.”

The new 19,457 square-foot facility will house the company’s PTU (Process Training Unit) to assist in customer training, providing much-needed hands-on experience. In addition, TriNova will expand its offerings with an Apprenticeship Program for its areas of operation, also utilizing the PTU. Through this program, TriNova will connect students, parents, educators, counselors and industry experts to raise awareness and provide crucial information regarding technical career opportunities and the significance of STEM.

“We are thrilled to add the new Endress Core of Excellence Education and Wellness Center to our campus to assist in maintaining the growth and success we’ve achieved over the years,” said TriNova President, Robbie Watson. “Not only is this facility a testament to those successes, but it’s a symbol of our confidence in the future of TriNova and Endress+Hauser. This building started as a vision to extend our training capabilities with the Process Training Unit and Apprenticeship Program and take them to another level. Now, that vision is a reality. The new facility is an asset to our customers, current and future employees and fellow Endress+Hauser representative partners.”

With its wellness facility, TriNova hopes to promote positive, healthy lifestyles for its employees. The wellness facility will also house company events.

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@Endress_Hauser @Endress_UK @Endress_US @TriNovaInc #PAuto #USA

Complete robot training to prepare students for the future of work.

ABB Robotics continues its work to close the global education gap in automation and prepare students for the future of work with the launch of a ready-to-use education package. Comprising a GoFa collaborative robot (cobot), teaching materials and a globally recognized technical qualification, the package is part of ABB Robotics global campaign to help workers thrive in a new era of automation.

The ABB Robotics Education Package has been created to ensure educational establishments can provide highly skilled young people for companies looking to benefit from robotic automation. Although some 80 percent of global educators see automation shaping employment in the next 10 years, only one in four education institutes incorporate robotics into their curriculum ^*. Barriers include the lack of teachers trained in robotics and automation and the difficulty in incorporating robotics training into the curriculum seamlessly.

“With robotic automation increasingly embraced by multiple sectors, from manufacturing and distribution to retail and healthcare, companies are looking for people with the skills needed to handle robots and automation,” said Andrea Cassoni, MD, General Industries Business Line for ABB Robotics. “By enabling schools, colleges and universities to easily create and run robotics training courses that are recognized by industry, ABB’s Robotics Education Package is closing the technology skills gap by preparing students for the automated workplace.”

The heart of the package is the Education Cell, which features a fully functional ABB GoFa collaborative robot. Mounted on a compact tabletop, the award-winning ABB GoFa is an easy-to-use cobot that helps students learn real-life industrial applications such as pick and place and 3D printing. Students as young as 15 can use the robot, with no need for any prior engineering knowledge thanks to ABB Robotics’ lead-through and ABB’s Wizard Easy Programing.

A comprehensive suite of material gives teachers everything they need to guide students through 12 lessons at basic and advanced levels, taking them from the fundamentals of robotics to more advanced applications and programming. Indus-trial level training material has been adapted by teachers into a student-friendly format, enabling them to easily grasp robotics concepts. A total of 56 hours of content is provided, including videos, interactive online exercises, 400 test questions, and lab exercises with ABB’s RobotStudio® offline programming tool, which is used by companies worldwide to plan, simulate and develop real-life robotic solutions in a virtual environment.

The third part of the package is a unique, globally recognized STEM certification for both teachers and students supported and authenticated by educational research and credentialing organization STEM.org. This allows teachers to be certified by ABB and then certify their students as competent to use robots. It also provides students with an accepted qualification that can be shown to employers in over 80 countries as proof of their ability to work with robotic automation.

The launch of the Education Package marks the latest step in ABB’s ongoing drive to help students develop the skills they need to thrive in a world where robots will be as common as laptops in the workplace. ABB currently works with educational institutions in over 40 countries to ensure that students are able to learn the fundamentals of robot program-ming and operation.

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*Source: ABB education survey, 2022, based on global sample of 2,301 respondents

@ABBRobotics @ABBgroupnews @ABBMeasurement @abb_automation @stemdotorg @NapierPR  #PAuto #Robotics 

Training engineers through adveisor programme.

Mouser Electronics has announced its sponsorship of the adveisor programme at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), one of the leading universities in Europe for electrical and mechanical engineering.

The TUM adveisor programme is a one-year soft skills programme designed for first-year electrical engineering students. The course is designed to provide real use-case challenges to develop skilled and knowledgeable engineers who are able to communicate confidently, project-manage and master the dynamics of effective teamworking.

“At Mouser, supporting students is rooted in the company’s foundation.’ states Mark Patrick, Technical Marketing Manager, EMEA at Mouser Electronics. “The students of today are the engineers of tomorrow and the adveisor programme will help them to apply their learning to real world challenges – empowering innovation through practical problem solving and effective communication.”

Mouser kicked off the partnership by delivering a collaborative workshop at TUM with Arduino and Red Pitaya on the fundamentals of circuit theory and pulse measurement in December of last year. The first workshop was held by Mouser’s in-house engineers Rafik Mitry and Aly Barakat.

“We’re thrilled to have Mouser’s support and collaboration on the adveisor programme,” commented PD Dr.-Ing. habil. Dirk Wollherr, at TUM. “We think Mouser’s involvement brings real value to the electrical engineering students, supporting them to develop their skills through interactive workshops.”

Mouser and TUM’s shared ambitions to nurture the next generation of engineers and empower innovation has enabled a strong start to the programme and successful partnership moving forward together.

@MouserElecEU @TU_Muenchen @Publitek  #Electrical #Germany

New website makes training and certification easier.

Thousands of professionals in fields ranging from building diagnostics, electrical inspection, optical gas imaging, and industrial automation are benefitting from latest infrared camera technology, both to improve their work and grow their careers. Whether handheld or on a drone, these thermal imaging systems can detect anomalies and problems that are often invisible to the naked eye. However, it requires some education to make the most of thermography and get the job completed quickly, efficiently, and most important, accurately.

Finding the right thermography classes is now easier and more intuitive thanks to a newly launched website for the Infrared Training Center (ITC). This site will not only help existing and aspiring thermographers determine the right course to derive more value from thermal inspections, but also help them make a better case to their employers to sponsor this kind of professional development. They’ll find the right training to ensure they conduct inspections the right way—based on a strong educational foundation—instead of working on assumptions and guesses.

Professional upskilling.
Proper training increases the safety of thermography personnel as well as their colleagues who remediate issues thermography uncovers, all the while cutting down troubleshooting time, improving productivity, and creating more effective predictive maintenance programs. That may include keeping mission critical equipment running while maximizing output and minimizing downtime. The end result is a reduction of outages, and potentially, the avoidance of catastrophic—and expensive—failures.

The exciting field of thermography takes both training and experience to ensure that readings are both accurate and actionable. ITC meets that training need with the highest quality interactive thermography courses from highly qualified international thermography instructors. All ITC courses maintain ISO 9001 certification, ensuring they offer valuable training, certification, and recertification in all aspects of infrared thermography. After all, interpreting thermal imaging correctly comes down to training, experience, and first-hand knowledge of the science behind it all. 

Scott DeRaps, ITC graduate and Level I Thermographer with Coutts Brothers Inc. "ITC trainings have given me the knowledge and the confidence to go into the field and provide high quality inspections for our clients. These inspections are going to save our clients time and money, and can save them from a possible catastrophic failure."

Trade professionals and engineers have varying levels of experience with thermographic applications, and regardless of their experience, the ITC can work to their benefit, starting now.

For new unexperienced users, the introductory courses (Level I) serve to better communicate the value and benefits of working with thermal imaging. For those a step further in their experience and who are already familiar with leveraging thermography in the field (Level II), ITC helps with staying up-to-date with the latest tips and trends while maintaining the highest level of globally recognized certification to boost credibility. And lastly, much more detailed and advanced courses (Level III) round out the program for the experienced users who are honing their skills and keeping their certifications up to date. No matter what level they take, ITC certification can increase a professional’s credibility, enhance their career, and build thermal imaging inspection businesses.

@flir @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Thermography #Training

New premises emphases growth path.

More space for the production of flow measurement technology and the development of IIoT solutions.

Over the past five years the number of employees at the Endress+Hauser's Reinach location in the Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft has grown by 20 percent to more than 2,000. At the same time, the number of units produced has significantly increased and the digital solutions portfolio has expanded. In order to simultaneously meet the new demands of the work environment, vocational training positions and digitalization, the measurement and automation technology specialist invested 60 million Swiss francs in the Reinach campus.

After beginning work on the foundations in 2019, Endress+Hauser is celebrating the opening of the nearly 150-meter-long building in Reinach in July (2022). The construction plan included the use of available property and an existing building. The new facility, which boasts more than 25,000 square meters of space, equivalent to around four soccer fields, was built with roughly 19,000 cubic meters of concrete and 2,200 tons of reinforced steel and other materials.

The new building is home to Endress+Hauser Flow, the product center for flow measuring technology, as well as Endress+Hauser Digital Solutions, which is responsible within the Group for all issues related to digital communication and automation solutions. The first wave of employees has already moved into the facility.

Production expansion and additional jobs.
This is a response to the ongoing demand for high-quality instrumentation and solutions for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) environments in the process industry. Liquids and gases must always be monitored, measured and settled with a high degree of accuracy. This is being driven, among other things, by increasingly strict government regulations and growing requirements on quality and environmental protection around the world.

Endress+Hauser Flow has reacted to this development, expanded its portfolio and doubled the number of units produced over the past decade. The consequence is continuous expansion of the production capacity and the creation of additional jobs. With the most recent developments, the family company is making a clear commitment to Reinach and the Basel region (CH) where the Group is firmly rooted.

Focus on collaboration.
As a result of the expansion, around 1,050 employees will move across all buildings. The additional space will create more collectively used workspace. “In the spirit of ‘New Work’, we are implementing activity-based working. Different work areas will be available for different activities, meaning that our employees can choose the space best suited to their individual tasks,” says Mirko Lehmann, Managing Director of Endress+Hauser Flow.

Special coworking zones such as Innovation Labs or project zones furthermore offer different departments the opportunity to collaborate on longer-term projects. Employees can choose between a permanent or shared desks. Bright, friendly spaces and a modern infrastructure have a positive impact on the work environment as well.

Learning-conducive training environment.
For Endress+Hauser, laying the groundwork for the future also means investing in the employees of tomorrow. The new building brings training and education into the heart of operation and offers sufficient space for areas conducive to learning with workshops, labs and training rooms, thus allowing an increase in the number of apprenticeship positions and vocational careers. To date, 43 apprentices have been trained in eight areas. Beginning in August, nearly 50 apprentices will be trained in 11 vocations. This number is expected to grow over the next five years.

Around 4,000 annual visitors can look forward to the new plant tour and hospitality concept. This concept consists of a redesigned reception area and a new visitor center including “Flow Experience”, an integrated 2,000-square-meter area where the Endress+Hauser brand and flow instrument portfolio can be experienced before taking a tour of the plant.

Sustainable energy concept.
Endress+Hauser is furthermore using the new building to align its ongoing business growth even more closely with its ecological and social responsibilities. In light of the goal of the Endress+Hauser Flow sustainability strategy to operate its buildings in Reinach in a CO2-neutral manner by the year 2030, high value is being placed on climate-friendly facilities management. As part of the energy concept, for example, waste heat is stored in a stratified storage tank for warm water and then used for heating. A comprehensive energy monitoring system using instruments from the company’s own portfolio also helps to continuously optimize operation of the buildings.

Large photovoltaic systems were installed on the roof of the new building, which boast a peak capacity of 365 kilowatts, enough to cover the annual electricity needs of around 75 single-family homes. In Reinach, Endress+Hauser now has photovoltaic systems covering more than 3,700 square meters with a total peak capacity of roughly 1 megawatt, making the company one of the largest solar power producers in the Basel region. The roof is also home to two bee colonies and various bee-friendly flowers, a project that contributes to the preservation of biodiversity as these small insects are considered central Europe’s most important plant pollinators.

@Endress_Hauser @Endress_UK @Endress_CA @Endress_US #PAuto #IIoT #Switzerland

Green building for Canadian arm of automation company.

Endress+Hauser Canada has erected one of the country’s “greenest” commercial buildings for 20 million euros. The recently-opened customer experience and process training center in Burlington, Ontario, roughly 50 kilometers southwest of Toronto, is energy-autonomous and CO2 neutral. The 4,400-square-meter facility – twice the size of the current location – houses a process training center, a large calibration lab, repair facility, training center and state-of-the-art office and recreational space for around 120 people.

Endress+Hauser has maintained a presence in Canada since 1990 with its own sales center, which manages customers from Manitoba, to the Atlantic provinces. The employees at the headquarters in Burlington, in addition to locations in Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton, are supported by various sales representatives. Whether primaries, metals & mining, oil & gas, food, chemicals, life sciences, water & wastewater, and power & energy, the resource-rich country is home to virtually all industries.

New building symbolizes brand values
The new building in Burlington reflects the solid growth of the past years. “The Customer Experience Center is an impressive example of Endress+Hauser’s global strategy of cultivating and managing customer partnerships. This is how we grow – in Canada and worldwide,” says Matthias Altendorf, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group. The building also represents the brand values of the Group. “It demonstrates our dedication to customers and our commitment to sustainability.”

“The new building is designed to express our standards as a company, not only to our customers but the public as a whole,” emphasizes Managing Director, Anthony Varga. In planning the project, Endress+Hauser Canada focused on the needs of the customers. “We can provide the best possible support to our customers over the entire lifecycle of their systems. We offer an inviting environment while setting standards for ecological building design.”

Hands-on training

Process training unit!

At the heart of the new building is a process training center, the second of its kind in Canada. Such process training units (PTU) can be found at Endress+Hauser locations around the world. Customers can use these pilot plant systems to practice hands-on how to operate a wide range of measurement instruments and profit from a long partnership with Rockwell Automation and other manufacturers. This allows customers to simulate conditions similar to their own operating environments.

Endress+Hauser places a high value on sustainability and energy efficiency in construction projects all around the world. The new building in Canada covers its electricity needs with more than 800 solar modules installed on the roof. These panels can generate around 408,000 kilowatt hours of electricity on an annual basis, exceeding the needs of the building so that electricity can be fed into the grid. A geothermal system draws heat from 50 wells at a depth of 180 meters and distributes it across the entire building via 63 heat pumps.

Well thought-out architecture
The south-facing windows in the upper floor capture sunlight, while the triple-glazed façade prevents heat loss. A four-meter-high Ficus tree in the atrium improves the air quality and symbolizes the “green” mindset. Thanks to all of these measures, the building is one of the greenest structures in the country. Endress+Hauser is the first private company to strive for all three certificates from the Canada Green Building Council: Net Zero Energy, Zero Carbon Building Standards and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in Gold.

@Endress_Hauser @Endress_CA #PAuto #Canada

European experience centre shares amazing ideas!

"Ultimately, we want people to come and play!"

Fluke has a new European Headquarters in Eindhoven (NL), which includes a 400sqm customer experience centre. For the first time, customers will not only be able to see Fluke’s range of world-class tools, but experience using them in a variety of real-world applications.

It has been described by Fluke Strategic support and training manager, Eric van Riet, as a dream come true. “What we wanted was for customers to experience our tools in an environment as close to reality as possible to show where and how our products are used, and provide the opportunity to deliver training.”

Customer experience centre dream
The individual environments in which each of Fluke’s tools are used have been reimagined in the heart of the building. From miniaturised electrical substations to small scale factories, a scene has been set for each.

“The best way to offer training is to do so in a hands-on environment such as this. If customers are unable to attend in person, we can make demonstration videos to show the best of our equipment. It’s working. Our customers love it,” said van Riet. The centre was developed out of a passion for customers to be empowered to make the best use of Fluke products and offers an exceptional training environment.

The aim of the centre is to create user experiences, a first impression for customers through a showcase of Fluke products, to offer an environment to use and demonstrate the products and to offer a first-class training facility.

“Ultimately, we want people to come and play,” said van Riet.

Fluke environments

Process

The environments include a small factory set up, an Industrial Island complete with a motor driven pump pushing water in a closed-loop system, a traditional data centre, as well as a window into networking of the future with communications cabling channelled through our ceiling tile infrastructure. There is a miniaturised high-voltage substation complete with intricate 3D printed scale models and a tesla coil to simulate partial discharge.

Next to a complete electrical and temperature Calibration lab environment, there is an electrical workshop including a solar cell with stationary battery completed by a window onto a driveway and electric vehicle charging unit set up.

Every Fluke tool has an environment to be demonstrated in

Cutting edge training 
The environments are useful not just for Fluke salespeople and their customers, but for training and forging strong relationships with the next generation of industry leaders. Student interns have the opportunity to learn their trade through helping program the automation of the factory test-rig in the customer experience centre. Recent graduates are now working closely with the group to develop new product innovations. “It has become a hub for sharing amazing ideas,” said van Riet.

The Headquarters
The Fluke headquarters bring together under one roof Fluke colleagues from seven separate sites across the Netherlands. The Brainport Industries Campus in Eindhoven - home to the new Fluke headquarters - is a unique campus with the best of high-tech manufacturing industries united under one single roof. The Fluke European Experience Centre is at the heart of the innovative Fluke offices. “Our European Experience Centre would not have been possible without the support of some truly brilliant partner agencies who helped make this dream a reality,” van Riet confessed.

“Companies like Hager who assisted the team with all distribution panels, Endress&Hauser who generously shared their demonstration model, Sulzer and Eriks for creating the Industrial pump setup and Siemens for the automation section.”

@FlukeCal @FlukeCorp @FlukePI @NapierPR #PAuto #TandM #Europe

Machine safety.

The CMSE^® - Certified Machinery Safety Expert qualification provides extensive knowledge about the required safety standards of plant and machinery. The participants qualify as a globally recognised expert for machinery safety with CMSE - and gain an internationally recognised TÜV certificate.

The course is provides a 360° approach to machinery safety:

> Risk assessment > Risk assessment workshop > Mechanical guarding > Safety components & technologies > Electrical safety

> Functional safety of control systems > Functional safety of pressurised fluid systems > Functional safety workshop > Examination and certification

The CMSE^® Application form and associated requirements are sufficiently detailed to ensure that training participants are at a level compatible with the technical content of the training and are capable of undertaking the written examination. Applicants should study the requirements carefully and complete all areas of the application form prior to submission.

Courses are held in the following  countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland*, Italy, Swedan, USA. If your country is not mentioned the Global CMSE Organisation should be contacted directly

They also offer online courses and  company-internal CMSE training courses. 

*Here are the dates for courses in Ireland:

@Pilz_INT #PAuto #Manufacturing #Safety

Collaboration to provide certified automation training courses

Endress+Hauser and ISA collaborate to offer extended training services.

Endress+Hauser and the International Society of Automation (ISA), the non-profit professional association for leaders in industrial automation, announce their current and future collaboration efforts for training and certification. ISA will provide select certified training courses in conjunction with Endress+Hauser’s instrumentation training courses, with these courses offered onsite at Endress+Hauser’s process training units (PTUs) located across the U.S.

“Combining a selection from the deep ISA training offering with the many choices of instrumentation training provided at Endress+Hauser’s world-class PTUs provides a powerful set of options for instrument technicians who need help with their professional development,” says Jerry Spindler, customer training manager, Endress+Hauser USA.

Combining strengths for advanced offerings
With the goal of advancing training of process industry personnel, Endress+Hauser has designed and built 11 PTUs across the United States. These full-scale, working process units offer hands-on experience with the types of configurations, operations, diagnostics, and troubleshooting found in real-world process plants.

With this strategic collaboration, ISA brings its advanced expertise in controls, valves, drives, and other areas outside the Endress+Hauser portfolio to more students, and in a real-world setting. ISA will send a representative to the Endress+Hauser PTUs to teach the material with a seamless, holistic approach. This provides a world-class, one-stop-shop for training where learners can advance their technical education, eliminating the need for training from multiple vendors.

ISA has long been a provider of certification for automation professionals through its Certified Controls System Technician® (CCST) strategy. The CCST program provides a non-biased, third-party, objective assessment and confirmation of skills for control systems technicians. Endress+Hauser and ISA will focus on providing training for Level 1 certification, which confirms that technicians possess a vast knowledge with respect to calibration, maintenance, repair and troubleshooting.

Adding value to the industry
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Endress+Hauser and leverage the strengths of our respective organizations,” says Geri McGrath, director of global education and outreach at ISA. “The combination of Endress+Hauser’s PTUs and ISA’s training services offers increased workforce development opportunities for industrial automation and control professionals.”

Additional offerings for a tailored approach
To get the most out of training, it’s important for learners to understand their specific needs because what strengthens one company’s employees may not be necessary for another. To address this and other issues, Endress+Hauser and ISA have co-developed an online assessment tool for customized training. Designed for convenience and ease-of-use, the assessment generates a report highlighting personnel strengths and knowledge gaps for an organization. From there, representatives work with these organizations to create a training plan tailored to their specific needs. This online tool is being developed according to ISA’s CCST Body of Knowledge, and it will be offered through both the ISA and Endress+Hauser websites in 2022.

• See also: Training & calibration on the Gulf Coast! (27/10/2021)

@ISA_Interchange @IrelandISA @Endress_Hauser @Endress_US #PAuto #Training #USA

Homecoming for test automation.

A virtual celebration event with workshops, interactive sessions with instructors, giveaways and more...

Test Automation University (TAU) has surpassed 100,000 enrolled students Applitools has announced. This marks the single largest free online education community for test automation in the world.

"It has been such a joy to witness the growth of Test Automation University. The community of students and instructors is remarkable," said Angie Jones, Head of Developer Relations at Applitools and Executive Director of Test Automation University. "Just two years after TAU began, we are thrilled to be celebrating this 100,000 student milestone with a virtual event for the community to learn and celebrate. Reminiscent of homecoming celebrations in traditional colleges, this event will be fun, interactive and unlike anything the community has experienced.”

To celebrate this milestone, TAU will be hosting a virtual event beginning December 1, 2021 called, “TAU: The Homecoming.” This is a free two-day virtual conference where TAU instructors will teach live workshops and lead engaging sessions on critical topics in test automation. The event will also feature games, a live DJ, and more.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Angie Jones, Executive Director of Test Automation University
• Jason Arbon, Chief Technology Officer at Test.ai
• Andrew Knight, Lead Software Engineer in Test for PrecisionLender at Q2
• Carlos Kidman, Director of Engineering and Open Source Developer
• Marie Drake, Quality Engineering Manager at Zoopla
• Julia Pottinger, Head of Training and Development at QualityWorks Consulting Group, LLC
• Paul Merrill, Principal at Beaufort Fairmont, LLC
• Beth Marshall, Staff Quality and Test Engineer at Smoothwall
• Manoj Kumar, Principal Technologist at Thoughtworks
• Mike Clark, QA Engineering Manager at iSpot.tv
• Corina Pip, Senior Test Automation Engineer at Sage Intacct, Inc.
• Filip Hric, QA lead at Slido
• Rudolf Groetz, Agile Engineering Coach / Guild Lead Test & Test Automation at Raiffeisen Bank International AG
• Patrick Döring, Chief Architect Testautomation & Portfolio Manager Testautomation at ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE

TAU aims to help people of all skill levels advance their careers. Since announcing its first course in January 2019, the program’s 43 renowned instructors have produced a curriculum of 60 individual courses and 13 unique learning paths. The instructors of TAU help guide students on their upskilling journey with materials that cover web, API, mobile, and codeless automation frameworks and provide training in multiple programming languages, such as Java, JavaScript, C#, Python, Ruby and Swift.

• See also Cookbook in Kitchen for automation & test. (9/4/2021)

@Applitools @TestAutomationU @testdotai @ispottv #Pauto #TandM