Building on its long-standing collaboration with Microsoft, ABB has launched ABB Ability Genix Copilot, a generative AI solution that helps energy, utilities and other industries improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability by contextualising vast amounts of data and providing actionable insights in an intuitive manner.

Automation can enhance jobs, making them safer and quicker for humans. Nevertheless, reaping these benefits means closing a wide automation skills gap, explains Stephen Hayes, managing director at automation specialist Beckhoff UK.

With reports that unplanned downtime is costing manufacturers as much as £40 billion per year, Tom Cash, director at automation parts supplier Foxmere, explains the maintenance strategies in food production lines that prevent costly overhauls.

ProRecipe XT is an optimal solution from Minebea Intec for companies in the food industry in particular. The software combines scales and software into a powerful unit to map manual dosing processes and fulfils the highest requirements for precision and process reliability.

Domino Printing Sciences' newly launched, next-generation CO2 laser coders, the Dx-Series, are positioned to help beverage manufacturers prepare for future high-resolution coding requirements with no loss in production performance.

Alongside motors and gears, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS points to the importance of its NORDAC frequency inverters for applications where movements must be intelligently controlled.

Recently launched by MOONS' and available in the UK from its UK distribution partner Mclennan, the new AW series 'Industrial Protective Stepper Motors' are aimed at harsh environment motion control applications in food and beverage production, medical industries and arduous industrial environments.

Fernando Colas, CEO of OMRON Industrial Automation Europe, discusses the top five manufacturing automation trends for 2025.

New optical sensors feature enhanced detection capabilities and faster commissioning thanks to Leuze's Power PinPoint LED technology. Retro-reflective photoelectric sensors with Power PinPoint LEDs are ideal for object detection in harsh food industry environments.

Ross Turnbull, director of business development and product engineering at ASIC design and supply specialist, Swindon Silicon Systems, explores the advantages of opting for a custom integrated circuit (IC) solution for food and beverage processing sensors.