Throw away your shovel!
Unique device for testing flowmeters - underground
A major problem facing water authorities - the prospect of having to exca-vate underground flowmeters and disrupt communitiesÕ water supplies in order to satisfy increas-ing demands for regular and reliable verification of the metersÕ performance - can now be resolved using an unique development from ABB Kent-Taylor.
The new CalMaster - a portable calibration device small enough to fit the average briefcase - can be used on the surface to test electromagnetic flowmeters underground. It also performs a diagnostic health check on the entire flowmeter system.
Designed specifically to work with their range of high-performance MagMaster meters, the unit simply connects to a slightly modified transmitter - located either in a central control room or in a remote field cabinet - and downloads information on the meterÕs performance to a laptop computer. No direct access to the flowmeter sensor is required, thus eliminating the prospect of costly and inconvenient excavations.
As well as verifying that the flowmeter system is within 2% of the original calibration, the CalMaster also performs condition monitoring to check the transmitter's operating tolerances, the integrity of the sensor's functionality and the cabling. All calibration information is automatically stored in the unit's database file for long term trend analysis of the system - making it possible to give an early warning of any deterioration that may lead to system failure.
If the meters under test meet the performance criteria, certificates of verification to satisfy auditing requirements are printed from the laptop com-puter back in the control room.
The average calibration verifi-cation takes about 16 minutes, during which time the MagMaster flowmeter is taken off-line. However it remains operational, allowing a flow to pass in order to maintain continuity of supply.
It also has process applications, saving time and money. Here flowmeter performance can be verified in situ - without having to incur downtime by taking an instrument out of line.
ABB's CalMaster comes in its own briefcase, with built-in rechargeable batteries (5 hours continuous use), mains and automatic cigar-lighter charger, plus all necessary leads for complete on-site operation. All that is required is a 386, or better, laptop PC with at least 4Mb RAM and 5Mb hard disk space. It is fully Windows driven being compatible with both Windows 3.1 and Windows 95.
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IS Range available
The new Bartec control and indicating devices are said to satisfy the highest require-ments. Now marketed by Flomeaco (as announced in the last issue), the switch and indicator modules are available for panel or base mounting, with terminals or flexible cable tail. The CENELEC-D genera-tion approval makes them suitable for use in Zone 1 and 2 hazardous areas.
The switch and indicator modules are produced from thermoplastic materials and are either potted or fitted into a flameproof enclosure. The switch elements have two chambers as a standard. The self wiping contacts assure reliable switching even in low current applications. At 250V in category AC 12 use the rated operating current is 16A. All normally closed switch contacts have a positive break feature. The indicator modules contain LED's which provide high light output and a long service life. The bayonet lock on the panel mounting the modules enables them to be quickly and easily installed using one hand.
The switch operator types include pushbuttons, selector switches, key switches, and emergency stop pushbuttons. The lamp lenses are available in four different colours. The operators and lenses provide an ingress protection of IP 66 minimum and guarantee safe operation even in extreme conditions. On site safety is assured by dip-in pushbutton labels marked with standard VDMA symbols and large designation labels.
Coincidentally Flomeaco have been approved for the assembly of EEx e terminal boxes and enclosures under PTB and CENELEC approval at Badmergentheim, Germany. This means that EEX e boxes and enclosures avail-able at present on 2 to three week deliveries will later this year be available on a two to three day delivery.
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Open Channel Mags
The strict environmental pro-tection requirements of indus-tries and local authorities give an increasingly important role to the Turbo range of open channel and non-full pipe magnetic flow sensors market-ed by Flow Measurement Ltd. This range may be used in bi-directional flow applica-tions, with such media as rainwater or unfiltered sewage.
The particular advantage of their Channel Mag MS2 is that it can be installed in an existing open channel, without the need to supply a standing wave flume or similar. No restric-tions or gradients are necessary and there is nothing to impede flow. This often saves considerable civil engineering costs. Further inaccuracies found with large Venturi or Parshall flumes, as well as those due to back-up flow are overcome using this meter.
The unit is suitable for open channels having a regular cross section. Flow in non-full circular or egg-shaped pipes are on request. The Channel Mag system consists of a magnetic mean velocity sensor together with an ultrasonic level sensor. The technique uses Faraday's Law, where a conductor moving in a magnetic field (the media) induces a voltage of amplitude proportional to the velocity of the conductor. Mean media velocity is measured by the electrodes.
The technique incorporates Turbo PKS technology, having a particularly high signal:noise ratio. This allows the sensing electrodes to be permanently coated with, for instance, high fat content raw sewage. Where channels have a build-up on the bottom thicker than the unit platform, the sensor may be installed proud of the base of the channel. An ultrasonic level transmitter is used to measure volumetric flow.
The level output is then multiplied by the Channel Mag velocity signal using a signal processor. The signal is lin-earised as required in the processor and provides both analogue and integrated pulse outputs proportional to volumetric flow.
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2 Flow Products
Manotherm tells us of two new flow products from Dwyer.
The TF Turbine flow sensor for use in industrial, commercial and laboratory flow applica-tions. This uses a turbine wheel and electro-optical detection to convert flow rates into a linear 0 to 5 Vdc signal for recording and datalogging with ±3% accuracy and ±3% linearity. These versatile sensors may be used with clean gases or clean low viscosity liquids depending on the model. This compact 0.5kg sensor is constructed of premium grade wetted parts, including 40% glass filled polyphenelene sulfide sensor, Ryton fittings, sapphire bearings and Viton O-ring.
The second instrument is the new Series FS Flowmeter with Flow Limit Switch. This compact device offers visual flow rate indication and an adjustable flow alarm to open or close AC electrical circuits, trigger warning lights, or activate other process control equipment. The unit has a polysulfone body, 3M Plastiform Magnet, stainless steel spring and retaining screw. Spring-retained move-able piston design allows installation in any position with 1-inch polysulfone or 3/4" brass NPT male mounting threads. Flow can be monitored with a 7% full scale accuracy and 1.0% repeatability in applications such as chemical processing, solar systems and drain lines.
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Hybrid for hire.
Livingstonrental has taken on board the Yokagowa Darwin DR230 Hybrid Recorder, to provide process development and R&D engineers with data acquisition facilities enabling high-speed scanning of up to 300 input channels.
It is significantly smaller and lighter than the conventional multi-point recorder and brings a new level of recording capacity to the rental market-place according to the company. It can be adapted to a wide variety of applications, from small scale datalogging tasks to multi-point acquisition applications.
They offer the stand alone version of this recorder, mea-suring up to 30 channels every two seconds recording data not only in real time but also has the capability of storing on a floppy or PCMCIA card for further processing. It provides fully integrated input and recording facilities for a choice of parameters and Livingstonrental's service includes assistance with selection of appropriate transducers for use with the instrument. They have a freefone number 1800 425000.
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Toxicity
Today, environmental agencies are focused on the discharged levels of ammonia.Particular attention is being paid to the ammonia reduction processes which convert it to nitrate (nitrification).
Unfortunately the bacteria used in this process are very suscep-tible to inhibition by toxicants which can then lead to high levels of ammonia being released.
The Amtox Analyser system from Ntron has been developed to prevent toxicants from reaching the nitrification process by detecting an incident quickly and thus giving the plant operators the opportunity to take action.
The system, which is available in laboratory and on-line formats, has a response time of between 10-30 minutes and can be compared to the conventional tests which take 3 to 5 hours.
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A new Paragon
Intec Controls, repre-sented here by Douglas Electronics, have launched the latest version of their Paragon TNT SCADA package. The new version V4.0, which is available to run on Windows NT, Windows 95 and OS2 Warp, contains many significant product enhance-ments which make Paragon TNT even more flexible, powerful and easy to use. These features include a new Application Building Wizard, dial-up RTU support, historical data archiving and full range of ActiveX controls.
The Application Building Wizard simpli-fies the process of con-figuring operator inter-face screens, input /output, database access and historical logging. Answering a few simple questions reduces time taken in more conven-tional MMI packages.
Dial-up RTU support allows the package to access remote PLCs and I/O devices by use of standard telephone lines. This permits quick and easy access for integra-tion into the main system eliminating the need for special wiring or unnecessary travel to collect data.
The new archiving functions make the col-lection of historical information a matter of simplicity. Information on batches, shifts, production runs and incidents occurring in operations can be easily stored for future study. Powerful functions for the management of data import and export are included as standard.
The new ActiveX controls provide the ability to integrate all plant data into other packages such as Microsoft Office Suite and Visual Basic. This allows information such as trends, alarm status and realtime plant data to be available on-screen even when working on an Excel spreadsheet, a Word document or while building additional functions in visual basic. It also allows other sophisticated appli-bent cations such as video etc to be incorporated int the system.
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Infrared Explorer
Thermal Imaging specialist, Agema Infrared Systems, has launched its new website, the Infrared Explorer on http://www.agema.com.
Entire range
Weidmller Klippon has now launched their entire range of electronic interfaces and signal conditioning products in Ireland through A. P. Haslam Ltd.
Paul Haslam states that the highly successful relationship between the two companies that already exists for Klippon terminals, PCB connectors and enclosures has established a very solid foundation from which to launch the latest electronics product range.
The new 1997 catalogue for Electronic Interfaces and Signal Conditioning is available free-of-charge.
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More Brochures
Literature on the following products is available from Rototherm.
1997 Catalogue for Hand-held portable calibration equip-ment. Digital Instrumentation for Industry and Weed Fibre-Optic solutions.
Call 01 6708077 for your copy.
One-step configuration
Intellution has introduced Version 4.0 of its Paradym-31 Windows NT-based SoftLogic package, which provides a graphical programming environment enabling users to develop, simulate, monitor and control programs for running on PCs or other target platforms.
Seamlessly integrated with their well known 32-bit FIX SCADA software, this new version features a one-step configu-ration procedure in which I/O points need to be defined only once. This eliminates the duplication of effort associated with conventional systems where users create tags in a control device and then input them again into a PC for use in MMI functions.
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Olympian presents award
Mary Peters, the first Irishwoman to win an Olympic Gold Medal (Penthatlon at Munich in 1972) presents the "Investor in People" award to Christine Bailey, Personnel Manager of Pantek.
This award is presented to companies in Britain who can demonstrate that they help to provide all their employees with such encouragement, throughout their employment, in line with changing business needs.
Picture d also were MD John Bailey and Enid Horsfield of the local Training and Enterprise Council who assisted in the achievement of this award.
Lyndon Thomas has joined Bentley Instruments as General Manager. Lyndon has moved to Bentley from British Rototherm, where he was Sales Manager. Tom McGettigan, Sales Director said that this was an important step in strengthening Bentley's commitment to the customer.
Pantek Europe, has appointed Tom Reaney as its Sales Manager. Pantek distributes WonderWare FactorySuite (InTouch MMI) etc. Tom has worked for Schneider, Digital Equipment and Hyster.
ThermoSpeed
PJ Boner & Co have been appointed the Irish representative of Thermo-Speed and can now offer the same "off-the-shelf instrumen-tation and control" as the British company. Their comprehensive 145 page catalogue is available from PJ Boner on 01 4505050.
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New WebZine!
The Industrial Computing Society (ICS)has announced the availability of its new electronic magazine (Webzine) called ICS News & Reviews. This online magazine (http://www.ics.org/magazine) focuses on news and information of interest to the Industrial Computing community. With contributors from a number of sources, including the Gartner Group, AMR, and ARC, ICS News & Reviews promises to be a valuable resource in keeping current in industrial computing. It is available to all via the ICS website.
The Industrial Computing Society is an international organisation comprising professionals who recognise the importance of computer technology in the manufacturing industry and are committed to exploring all the benefits of automation.
Members receive Industrial Computing magazine every month plus a number of other benefits including access to special members only sections of the Society web site
A printed version of the News Page appeared in this edition.
Accoustics
Kevin O'Brien, Managing Director of Industrial and Marine Accoustics (IMA) of Navan has announced that the company is now part of the ProsCon Group. This means that ProsCon now markets the full range of Larson Davis noise monitoring equipment and Instantel vibration monitoring equipment which suplements the Rosenount Engineering range.
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New Web Sites
Fisher Rosemount has announced that all divisions can now be found on its tightly interlinked homepage at A href="http://www.fisher-rosemount.com"> http://www.fisher-rosemount.com. Their goal is to use the InterNet as a new and different way to support customers and their needs. Users can access everything from product, service, and education catalogues to newsletters, job openings, trade show listings, press releases, case histories, and application notes.
National Instruments has had a web site almost since it was possible. They have just announced that a new section of its site, called AutomationWeb is specifically designed for industrial automation users. Located at http://www.natinst.com/automation/, AutomationWeb contains information on BridgeView and Lookout, the company's software packages for building PC based man-machine interfaces (MMIs) and SCADA systems.
New name
A new name appeared at the ISA Show this year. Metrotech Services, who specialise in the area of infrared technology applications. They are marketing Panametrics and the Agema range of Thermovision 550 and 900 series cameras here in Ireland.
Contacts are Mat Griffin or Michael Cafferkey.
Metrotech Services Ltd may be found at 3 Dn Lao, Union Quay, Cork.
Telephone 021 2131953 and fax 021 21314259.
ISO9002
SW Carty and Son, the Dublin based importer and distributor of leading brand mechanical, electrical, electronic products and suppliers of support services has been accredited to the internationally recognised ISO9002 Quality Standard by SGS Yarsley ICS.
A new source
HAM-LET is an almost 50 year old company which specialises in the design, development, production, and marketing of high quality instrumentation valves and fittings in a wide variety of materials. These are suitable for high pressure, temperature and vacuum applications.
These products are now available in `Ireland through their representatives Micro Valve and Fitting. They are based at Calor Complex Unit 9, Long Mile Road, Dublin 12. Contact Ralph Fitzsimons on 01 450 4322, fax 01 4505602 or e-mail microhyd@tinet.ie and tell him Readout sent you.
The ISA Ireland Section's annual conference as usual was very well attended. Above we see a section of participants in wrapt attention. The topic was "Plant Efficiency". The conference was run in conjunction with one of the more successful ISA Ireland Shows in recent times in Cork at the end of April.
Fisher-Rosemount, in association with their Irish representatives, ProsCon, recently staged a one-day seminar in Cork under the title of "Asset Management Solutions," which was attended by 45 of the countries Plant and Systems Engineers. Left was ProsCon CEO, Brendan O'Regan, with the recently appointed Fisher Rosemount MD Kevin Jackson (see Readout April/May'97).
ANV Technology the acoustics, noise and vibration consultants have summarised two recent documents relevent to local authorities. These are the UK Noise Act 1996 and the EC Green Paper on Future Noise Policy both dealing with aspects of community noise.
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Three Major Milestones
Brendan O'Regan used one company milestone to announce two others for ProsCon Engineering at the official opening of the new 48,000 sq ft premises at Rushbrooke, Cobh. First he announced that the successful growth of the company meant that there were now over 100 people working with the company. It also marked the completion of a multi-million pound engineering project for Smith Kline and Beecham. this project consisted of 5 giant solvent recovery units, designed, developed and manufactured at their Rushbrooke workshops.
Hugh Coveney TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, was pictured as he unveiled the plaque to officially open the premises. Also included are from left, Brendan O'Regan, with Directors, John Flannery, Don Short and Liam O'Brien, and Conor Doyle, President Cork Chamber of Commerce.
National Metrology
A new face at ISA Ireland '97 was the National Metrology Laboratory (NML).
NML has the responsibility for maintaining and developing national measurement standards and for ensuring their international traceability. "Measurement plays a key role in industry, international trade and in everyday life." The NML has been in operation for a long time but because of restrictions of space and funding it has not been able to serve Irish Industry as required. Now however in its new building on the Forbairt Campus in Glasnevin, Dublin, it is able to provide a service which is second to none.
NML Co-operates with major inter-national metrology laboratories and indeed represents Ireland's interests in EUROMET, EAL and OIML.
It can provide measurement and calibration services in the areas of temperature, pressure, torque, force, mass, volume, dimensional, time and frequency, acoustics as well as in electrical areas.
It also has a training and advisory facility which is to assist industry in establishing and maintaining calibration systems, measurement methodologies and the management of calibration resources.
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"SCADA Insider"
We came across this publication at the C&I Europe Exhibition last month. It is intended to serve a wide range of control system users and suppliers with a monthly update on the continuing revolution and convergence of system technologies. SCADA systems are seen by many as the vital component in assisting in strategic corporate business decisions. It is designed to be authoritative, indepen-dant (no advertising) and concise. Get a sample copy from Energy Logistics and take out a subscription.
The June issue says some nice things about Readout too so tell them you were sent by us.
International Shows
China in November
SOI China'97 is an international exhibition with seminars on Sensor Systems, Optoelectronics and Identification Technologies. The Total Quality Ō97 Show being held at the same time will concentrate on measurement, testing and quality assurance with ISO 9000 seminars. The 5th China International Industry Fair (INTEX) is being held at the same time.
Shanghai, "Dragon head of China" is spearheading the explosive expansion of this major economy and is the place to be in order to participate in this unprecedented growth. (GDP rates in the area are as high as 21.8% which makes the Celtic Tiger look like a pussy cat!)
Mesago of Stuttgart is organising this important event for November 1997 and we have a friendly voice at the other end of the phone in ēine Halpin on 00 49 711 6194643. You could also fax 00 49 711 61946 43 or e-mail on venjakob@mesago.de.
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Achema Launch
A brand new peripheral electronics package was launched by MicroMotion at Achema in early June.
The package, project titled 'Olympia' comprises a com-mon hardware platform and a range of software modules that are chosen for various standard functions such as Batch Control and Net Oil Computing. It compliments the PlantWeb architecture being promoted by sister com-pany Fisher-Rosemount and will include flameproof enclosure mounted and rack mounted versions.
More on this package will appear in future issues.
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INTERKAMA'97
Although INTERKAMA is not scheduled until 1999 the organisers thought that in order to pick up the cycle of innovation in the sector in the interval between 1995 (when it was last held) and then. They have therefore announced the first ever independent INTERKAMA Congress (24/25th June 1997) to be held at the usual venue (NOWEA) in Dsseldorf. The theme is "Business processes and value added in process engineering." It will be held in conjunction with the EuroFactory congress trade fair and discussion will centre primarily on the optimisation of business and production processes in the process engineering industry in a national and global context.
Spring 99 in Paris
For the first time, the INTERCHEMIE and MESUCORA shows will share the same time and venue in Paris in April 1999. It is expected that this synergy will produce an event of special importance both in the scope and quality of the exhibitors and in the new technology that integrates metrology in industrial processes.
InterChemie is a leading event in the chemical sector where France is the third biggest supplier in the world market.
MESUCORA is of course a major European (and world) exhibition in the field of instrumentation and controls.
Control Systems Integration
Birmingham is the venue for this exhibition which is designed to address a major current concern: the integration of computer and control systems with industrial hardware.
Scheduled for 4th to 6th November it states that it will attract attendees of CIM who do not attend the C&I show in May and produces the startling statistic that only 5% of CIM attendees also attend C&I. Thus some education of this user of instrumentation and controls is required.
Talk to Phil Nelson.
ISA & IRCHEM
The Ireland Section of ISA, the international society for measurement and control, are organising an International Conference in cooperation with Proscon and which will be held during Irchem this year. The tentative title is "Building environment factors into control."
Full Report
A full report is given on C&I Europe
More information on exhibitions on our Exhibition and Conference page.
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