Electric.ie Nov Dec 2020

34 ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • AP Haslam AUTOMATE YOUR FUTURE The U-control 2000 web has been awarded 'German Innovation Award 2020' Make sure that coding partners are essential members of your team A s i n all aspects of modern life, technology is transforming the world by generating opportunities that weren't available even a decade ago. The Internet of Things (IoT) and web-connected devices are making processes more accessible and transparent. AP Haslam are actively addressing one of the major issues currently facing manufacturing and industry – the merging of operational technologies (OT) and information technologies (IT) to leverage the potential of ‘Industry 4.0’. AP Haslam are delighted to announce their move into providing components and advice for their customers, expanding their product offering in partnership with Weidmüller, world leaders in Industrial IoT solutions. To mark these developments, APH General Manager, Keith Haslam , explains: “We are delighted to announce our expansion into providing Weidmüller’s Industrial Automation components and advice to our customers.” Speaking to Electric.ie to mark this expansion, Keith points out that: “AP Haslam sees the growing trend of the digitalisation in industry and the opportunities that embracing Industry 4.0 can offer.” He continues: “Industrial automation is finding increasing acceptance from various industries because of its huge benefits, such as increased productivity, quality and safety at low cost, and enabling companies to reduce their carbon footprint. “Weidmüller brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the table and, with new employees, we are looking forward to expanding our reach in this area.” A few design pointers l When undertaking a new automation project, or expanding an existing installation, it is essential to consider the ease of integration (in both space and time). l Does the functionality of the hardware meet the immediate requirements of the project in hand? l Does it allow for ease of expansion at the right cost? l Is the technology ‘future proofed’ using the emerging standards of today, and not tied to legacy platforms. Smarter Design... One of the great features of the Weidmüller range of automation products is their compact size and clever space-saving design. By reducing the amount of plastic and metals needed in manufacture, our engineers are mindful of the downstream consequences of your design choices. However, although automation is traditionally seen to be confined to the factory or the processing plant, increasingly building automation is being considered in the drive to reduce energy costs and emissions. Through AP Haslam, Weidmüller can provide a wide range of products that support the increased automation of the SMART factory.