If control was the language of the 20th century, coexistence will define the 21st. The next wave of industrial progress will be built on a more sustainable, human and resilient way of creating value - and Europe has the potential to lead this progress globally, as Fernando Colas, chief executive officer at OMRON Industrial Automation Europe, explains.

With the right specification, electric linear actuators are well suited to high-force, heavy-duty industrial operations, as well as hygienically sensitive applications such as food and beverage production, as Gerard Bush, engineer at motion specialist INMOCO, explains.

Using a plug-and-play approach, manufacturers can introduce modularity to their packaging automation and benefit from this flexibility. Here, Mark Richards, regional manager at Beckhoff UK, explores how modularity can help manufacturers streamline their packaging processes.

Titan Enterprises highlights six practical steps to minimise the engineering challenges associated with integrating sensor technology into existing systems.

To address bottlenecks in component specification, ABB launched GoSelect, an intuitive web-based solution designed to streamline the selection, sizing, and system-level configuration of motors, drives and PLCs, as ABB Global Digital Lead Katriina Raito explains.

Here, Neil March, product specialist for the MX-System at Beckhoff, explains why removing the control cabinet reshapes machine design.

The food and beverage industry has been slower to adopt automation than some other areas of manufacturing. Short-term supplier contracts and a reliance on cheap labour have proved obstacles to investment for some food producers, limiting their ability to grow their production capabilities. Fortunately, automation systems incorporating robotics from leading suppliers such as FANUC are now becoming a common sight in many food factories around the UK.

Jochem Oerlemans, Product Category Manager at Fabory, explores the challenges of machine downtime from galling and preventative greasing, and outlines how pre-lubricated bolts are reducing the total cost of ownership and helping to eliminate machine downtime risks for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end users.

In food and beverage, the stakes are especially high - a single point of delay can undo the efficiencies achieved everywhere else. Here, Beth Ragdale, software business manager at industrial automation and control specialist Beckhoff UK, explains why tackling bottlenecks requires a rethink of traditional production lines, moving beyond purely mechanical fixes to embrace flexible, software-driven solutions.

In an ideal world, every component in a machine or system would be specified by a knowledgeable engineer, in consultation with a product specialist, and installed exactly as intended. In reality, pressures on time and budget can result in design engineers sourcing safety components from online catalogues, only to realise too late that the product was a poor fit. Blake Shields of Tapeswitch explains how consultation at the outset can provide the best outcome.