Fostering smart manufacturing in southwestern PA
Phoenix Contact and Digital Foundry at New Kensington partnership drives economic growth
Middletown, PA - Phoenix Contact is partnering with Penn State's Digital Foundry at New Kensington to help workers in Westmoreland County, Pa., develop skills for today's smart manufacturing environment. The Digital Foundry is a regional hub that fosters the growth and economic vitality of Southwestern Pennsylvania through education, training, and the accelerated adoption of digital and smart manufacturing technologies.
Students can use real-world automation equipment in a learning space that mimics an actual manufacturing floor. As a Technology Partner at the "Game-Changer" level, Phoenix Contact is providing in-kind donations, such as PLCnext control, Ethernet switches, cables, and other products. In addition, Phoenix Contact employees are providing technical support and education.
CESMII, the Smart Manufacturing Institute, has designated the Digital Foundry as one of its Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centers (SMICs). These centers of excellence throughout the U.S. focus on building industry-specific smart manufacturing ecosystems.
"At Phoenix Contact, we believe in the promise of smart manufacturing empowered by open technology," said Louis Grice, vice president of digitalization and government relations at Phoenix Contact USA. "To live up to this promise, we're proud to support partners like those at the Digital Foundry. They make learning accessible to their community. By doing so, they help grow the knowledge and know-how needed to put leading technologies to work. Together, we're stronger as we contribute to a bright and sustainable future for U.S. manufacturing and its stakeholders."
"We are thrilled to welcome Phoenix Contact as one of our newest Technology Partners at the Digital Foundry," said Sherri McCleary, executive director. "Phoenix Contact has just celebrated 100 years of connecting people with technologies, and our vision of improving lives and strengthening businesses through access to digital technology couldn't be more aligned for this partnership. We look forward to working together on our common goals around education, skills building, and supporting the growth and health of manufacturing through digital and smart manufacturing solutions."
Featured Product
FLIR Si1-LD - Industrial Acoustic Imaging Camera for Compressed Air Leak Detection
The FLIR Si1-LD is an easy-to-use acoustic imaging camera for locating and quantifying pressurized leaks in compressed air systems. This lightweight, one-handed camera is designed to help maintenance, manufacturing, and engineering professionals identify air leaks faster than with traditional methods. Built with a carefully constructed array of MEMS microphones for high sensitivity, the Si1-LD produces a precise acoustic image that visually displays ultrasonic information, even in loud, industrial environments. The acoustic image is overlaid in real time on a digital image, allowing you to accurately pinpoint the source of the sound, with onboard analytics which quantify the losses being incurred. The Si1-LD features a plugin that enables you to import acoustic images to FLIR Thermal Studio suite for offline editing, analysis, and advanced report creation. Field analysis and reporting can also be done using the FLIR Acoustic Camera Viewer cloud service. Transferring of images can be managed via memory stick or USB data cable. Through a regular maintenance routine, the FLIR Si1-LD can help facilities reduce their environmental impact and save money on utility bills.
