DigiKey Showcases Cutting-Edge Automation Solutions at Automate 2025 in Detroit
DigiKey, a global commerce distributor known for its selection of technical components and automation products available for immediate shipment, offered a range of products from a host of suppliers at Automate 2025.
Visitors were able to explore the latest in industrial automation technologies covering PLCs, robotics, sensors, safety systems and more, along with new product introductions and value-added services.
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Eric Halvorson, DigiKey’s senior marketing technology director, along with Heather Fulara, vice president of industrial automation, interconnect and electromechanical, showed Machine Design the latest automation solutions from Siemens, Schneider Electric, SICK, Banner Engineering, Eaton Tripp Lite and Arduino. Here is just a small sampling.
Halvorson demonstrated Schneider Electric’s modular tower lights, which can be customized to various heights and colors. They offer a range of products, including learning relays, contact storage and wireless push buttons that operate without the need for new wiring, making them ideal for brownfield applications where existing wiring can be a challenge. These innovations simplify the installation process, allowing for the opening of garage doors and other functionalities without the complexity of traditional wiring systems.
Siemens’ demo focused on seamless integration and optimization with its new products, including the S7-1200 G2 series PLC and the ET 200clean distributed I/O system. The CPU in the S7-1200 G2’s CPU combines a microprocessor, an integrated power supply, input and output circuits, built-in PROFINET, high-speed counters, and standard and advanced motion control in a narrower housing than the first generation.
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The ET 200clean I/O has an easy-to-clean device shape, hygienic design, resistance against a range of industrial cleaning agents and disinfectants, degrees of protection IP65/IP67 and IP69K, compact structure for use in cabinet-free areas, and easy handling for fast commissioning and for maintenance, making them suitable for use in hygienic and wet areas.
Banner Engineering focused on their sensor solutions, conductivity, ISD safety and sensor supports and lighting products. Among the items Halvorson and Fulara display was their asset monitoring gateway, which is suitable for monitoring a compressor, for instance. If a compressor starts running out-of-specification, the gateway will alert them to act right away, resulting in the prevention of damage to the unit and downtime.
Their industrial lighting features bright illumination with options like blue and white light for visibility in industrial tasks and machine vision in workspace environments. Their setup benefits product monitoring on conveyor belts so that cameras can capture optimal views. The system includes safety features such as interconnected components that allows for emergency shutdowns through lead switches. An indicator alerts users to any issues, and when resolved the light turns blue to signal readiness. The K 50 touch interface provides haptic feedback and indicated battery status.
For more show coverage, be sure to check out Machine Design’s Automate 2025 content hub.
