See Archive Page for earlier news.

30/11/01

• Unusual presentation! - A press conference held in London today ended with an unusual presentation. Andrew Bond, the publisher of the perceptive and incisive Industrial Automation Insider (IAI), had made some comments on the distribution of "freebies" by companies last March which was taken up by Emerson Project Management's Director Trevor Hesketh who presented him with a truly unique pair of unmentionables engraved with the Emerson escutchon. MORE on this conference
• Results of SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2001 - Hot off the press! This year´s SPS/IPC/DRIVES closed its doors on the 29th November and the official report has been issued. "Full aisles and the splendid atmosphere proved SPS/IPC/DRIVES to be frankly the automation industry´s autumn highlight. Just in line with the number of exhibitors and exhibition space, another boost in the number of visitors. 21,100 trade visitors (last year 18704) used the three exhibition days to find the solution for their automation problems and an overview on the latest innovation trends on 715 stands (643 in 2000).
  SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2002 and IT&AUTOMATION 2002 will take place at the exhibition centre Nuremberg from 26 - 28 November 2002.

• British exhibition review - We've opened a page reviewing mtec 2002 - Sensors, Measurement and Instrumentation which is now the only national UK event in the field.
• Machine Safety Control Systems - Relec has introduced the Elobau 462 121 H controller unit, specifically designed to control machine safety systems. Four sensors can be connected directly to the controller and up to 25 sensors in total, using external interface units. Used in conjunction with Elobau door sensors, a complete door safety system can be built, quickly and cost-effectively The system is suitable for use in applications up to and including EN954 cat 4. The units and sensors are independently approved and certified by TUV. The environmental protection meets IP40 for the housing and IP20 for the terminals.
• Certified - VEGA, the leading company in the level and pressure sector has been certified to ISO 14001. This means that effective environmental management has been introduced which guarantees a continuous improvement of environmental performance.
• Cost Effective Downtime and Performance Reporting - SyTech Inc,leading provider of automated report generation and data analysis software, has announced that their XLReporter Version 2.1 includes new functionality to address performance reporting in manufacturing and process applications including vertical markets such as Water and Wastewater, Automotive, Biotech, Food & Beverage, Oil, Gas, Power Generation and Power Distribution. The program enables the use of Microsoft Excel technology for automated reporting in the industrial marketplace.

• Document management solutions - This week, Cyco Software, the leading provider of engineering document management solutions demonstrates its AutoManager document management solutions at Autodesk University, the largest learning event and users conference for Autodesk design professionals. Autodesk University is held in Las Vegas, (27-30 November) Cyco also demonstrates both AutoManager TeamWork and AutoManager Meridian. These products feature advanced integration with Autodesk products, such as Inventor and AutoCAD, resulting in more streamlined design processes.
• Solid-State Pressure Switch - Norgen-Herion's new Model 33D Solid-State Pressure Switch provides highly reliable switching and long life - up to 100 million cycles. It is available in ranges from vacuum to 10,000 psi and fully programmable for NO, NC, or "window-mode" operation. Real-time LCD display with selectable pressure units has amber backlight for high visibility. Switch features programmable delays, LED status indication, tamper protection, and industry standard M12 electrical connector. All-stainless steel wetted parts provide compatibility with a wide variety of fluids. Options include dual switch outputs or a secondary analog output.

• Matched motor-drive combinations provide high performance for counter cutting machinery - ProCom has chosen Baldor's matched servo motors and drives for the contour cutting control systems it is supplying to the machine builder Assyst-Bullmer. These motion control systems will be used in a range of advanced cutting machines destined for leather and fabric applications in the automobile industry. ProCom's modular CNC300 motion control system, with its unique mathematical contour processing algorithms, provides the real-time control required to maintain the high, jerk-free performance of the oscillating knife. This tool can cut complex shapes at rates of up to 1.5 metres/second, combined with accelerations of 15m/s2 - providing high throughput and good cutting quality for end users of Assyst-Bullmer's machines.

• New directors appointed - As part of its ongoing programme of expansion, Cambridge (England) based Michell Instruments, the leading European manufacturer of hygrometry devices, has appointed Andrew Stokes and David Leonard to its board of directors, as Technical Director and Finance Director, respectively.

• Gas & Liquid flowmeter - The Brooks Ar-Mite range of gas and liquid low flow purgemeters is now available with a microprocessor based 4-2OmA flow transmitter unit, for remote indication and control. These typically 1/4" NPT variable area flowmeters have seven models to cover full scale flows of between 1 and 100 I/h water, or 40 In/h to 3m3 n/h air, with an accuracy of Class 2.5 to VDE/VDI 3513. Units are pre-calibrated to suit site conditions and fluids, and operate over a 10:1 flow range, which can be re-programmed on site if needed.
  Brooks parent, Emerson Process Management, are supporters of the Signpost. Their advertisement may be seen on our Fieldbus Site
  This range is marketed in Britain through Flotech
• Low cost controllers for real-time PXI Systems - Engineers now have a low-cost solution for building real-time PXI systems with two new single-board PXI controllers. With National Instruments' PXI-8l40 RT Series controllers and Lab VIEW Real-Time 6i, engineers can develop, deploy, and maintain integrated real-time PXI systems for a fraction of the cost of a typical PXI system.

• Cooperation across the Ocean - Endress+Hauser, the Swiss-based instrumentation and automation manufacturer, and SMAR, the Brazilian-based instrumentation company specialized in field communication, announced that they will cooperate strategically in the area of field communication technologies. The two companies have already been working together on Foundation Fieldbus solutions.

• Rapid, low-cost test for Anthrax symptomatic of the age we live in - Staff scientists at Ocean Optics have used their USB2000-FL Spectrometer in a gated fluorescence mode to detect and quantify the fluorescence from endospores of the genus Bacillis. The procedure can be used to test samples wiped from a surface and added to the contents of a disposable cuvette that is pre-loaded with reagents. The test takes about 5 seconds to perform. The instrument connects to the USB port of any notebook computer. The system was tested with B. globigii and B. subtilis, which are harmless surrogates for B. anthracis.
• Up to date quality - FCx Ubel & Ventil has become one of the first organisations within the FCX International group of flow control companies to secure accreditation to the new ISO 9000 Revision 2000 standards. The company - a specialist distributor of flow control products, instrumentation products and bearing technology, providing technical solutions, off­the-shelf delivery and added value services - secured the new, tougher accreditation in just nine months.

• Training seminar on Web - "How Can OPC Reduce Your Plant Control Integration Costs?", ISA's next Web seminar, demonstrates ways OPC (OLE for Process Control) can reduce your control system integration and support costs. On 6 December from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST, instructor Vic Wegelin will help participants understand this industry-wide standard that offers open connectivity.

• Site to exhibit at show - The 500 page web site www.sensorland.com is using the mtec 2002 to show demonstrate the site to industrial and scientific engineers who are expected to visit the show. The site includes a wide variety of online information on all types of sensors and instrumentation, including data capture and analysis, calibration, process control, materials test, quality, metrology, telemetry, test, plant maintenance and weighing.
• New family of solid state contactors and thyristor units - Eurotherm's extensive new 7000 Series of Thyristor power control devices is capable of accurately controlling a wide spectrum of electrical loads up to 750kW. The units offer an extensive range of current ratings, will accept any standard industrial signal inputs and are compatible with virtually all industrial voltage supplies. They are suitable for controlling single-phase heaters up to complex high temperature-coefficient three phase loads.

• Time Line Unveils Relationships For Optimal Control - Use ExperTune's new Time Line Analysis to help understand the relationships between the time of each component in the control loop. Each component should be at the appropriate time relative to other components. Correcting deficiencies in the time line will improve the performance of the loop.

• Portable instrument's unique, one-handed operation gives technicians a free hand - Fluke, has introduced the newest member of its family of portable, process calibration tools. Featuring a new ergonomic, easy-to-use design, it can source, measure and simulate loop currents with an accuracy around 2.5 times that of other loop calibrators in its class. This Fluke 707 Loop Calibrator has a 0.015% accuracy and 1A resolution in any current mode. A 24 V internal loop supply enables the user to power and read a transmitter at the same time using a single instrument.

  Geoff Flisher has been appointed as Emerson Process Management's new Sales Operations Director for the UK & Ireland. Geoff's main role will be to lead sales office and support and will include internal sales, order entry, contract administration, sales documentation and eBusiness opportunities for all divisional and PlantWeb sales activities.

• New books - A new series of professional handbooks for Machine and Systems Condition Monitoring is now available from Technical Standards Services Ltd. The Condition Monitoring Series of Handbooks introduces the many disciplines of condition monitoring in a practical and easy-to-understand manner. The actual techniques are covered in detail with the minimum amount of concepts and theory required. Real situations and the instrumentation required are described with advantages and disadvantages of the alternative approaches. Each volume is self-contained, but with a consistent style enabling ease of reference across the volumes.

• Calibrator family expands - Beamex has released the new MC3 Calibrator series. The BEAMEX MC3 calibrator is a portable "mid-range" calibrator which can be ordered in three different configurations. MC3 is based on the advanced BEAMEX MC5 technology, thus offering an 1P65 calibrator with the internal boards mounted on shock absorbers to withstand shocks. MC3 has a user-friendly modern design with the largest display available at an economical price.
• New hardware, software ease controller conversions for faster ROI in uncertain economic environment - GE Fanuc Automation has expanded its Next Step Program, which simplifies and speeds plant automation upgrades while bringing new value to legacy systems and providing a faster return on investment in an uncertain economic environment. Two new additions to the Next Step Program further ease the conversion of Series Six(tm) PLCs to Series 90(tm) PLCs, enabling greater control functionality and Ethernet connectivity for plant-wide communications. The new S6-PIO Module provides the connection between older Series Six PLC I/O and the newer Series 90-70 PLC I/O. Additionally, an upgraded software conversion tool allows GE Fanuc's engineering team to convert older PLC ladder logic to new Series 90 ladder logic.

• Vibration sensor eliminates mercury hazards - A new pure-mechanical vibration detector from Omron allows OEMs to build-in earthquake or shock protection without relying on environmentally hostile mercury switches.

• Transit time flowmeter - The TX10 flowmeter from Thermo Pllysonics is an economic alternative to magnetic-, vortex or DP flow transmitters. Combining digital signal processing with advanced detection methods, it features exceptional performance and flexibility. Though primarily designed for clean liquid applications it is surprisingly tolerant of liquids with higher concentrations of bubbles or entrained solids than previously possible with transit time technology.

• CANopen in German - 13 Authors have contributed to the first CANopen book in the German language just published. This descroibes the communication protocols and device profiles in a 190 page book and is available through CAN in Automation (CIA).

• "Dirty" literature - A new 32-page guide (PDF) from Baldor provides a handy introduction to the differences between the protection measures available for electric motors operating in harsh environments. Starting with a table detailing the mechanical and electrical protection applied to various severe-duty motor categories - from shaft seals to overload margins - the brochure goes on to detail the electrical and mechanical characteristics of options in the various individual categories. The guide covers dirty-duty, quarry-duty, crusher-duty, explosion proof, vertical mounted pumping, and chemical processing types. In all over 400 motor products spanning a power range from 0.37 to 373 kW (0.5 to 500 HP) are detailed.
• New LabSpec Raman Spectral Software suite - Jobin Yvon has released its newest and most advanced spectroscopy suite specifically for Raman applications. LabSpec V4.02 offers the user a sophisticated and easy to use spectral software suite for use on the JY Raman microscopes and M-series spectrometer systems.

• Instrument knowledge centre opened - The first ISA Knowledge Centre has been opened at the Central Library of the Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland. This Institution has a very actic=ve Student Section. It is sponsored by ISA and Project Management Group. The official opening was attended by the ISA President-Elect-Secretary, Mr. Pino Zani. Vladimir Lazuk from St. Petersburg, vice-director of the SUAI's library was another foreign guest. This university is to open one of these centres next year. These knowledge centres have a twofold purpose; to educate and provide reference information to instrumentation, systems, and automation students and practitioners and to aid in accomplishing ISA's mission of service to the instrumentation, systems, and automation global community. After four years the library will own a very good reference of ISA publications.

• Latest MES product release expands knowledge and control capabilities for manufacturers - USDATA Corporation, a leading supplier of industrial automation software solutions, announced the worldwide release of the newest version of its innovative manufacturing execution system (MES) software, Xfactory 2.0.

• First U.S. company to receives IEC 61508 Safety Certification - Moore Industries is the first U.S. company awarded IEC 61508 safety certification to design and manufacture process instrumentation hardware for safety related applications in high risk industries such as chemical, petrochemical, and refinery. Unlike many industry certifications that focus on the specific product, this standard focuses on evaluating the development process used to design and manufacture a product.
• A good report! - SyTech Inc. www.TheReportCompany.com, a leading provider of automated report generation and data analysis software, today announced that XLReporter has been accepted to Rockwell Automation's Encompass program and is referenced for use with Allen Bradley and Rockwell Software products.
• New web site - FCX International, one of the world's leading specialist distributors of flow control products - has unveiled a new portal web site providing a simple doorway to contacts, services and products in all of its global network.

• Oscilloscope incorporates logic analyser for mixed-signal debugging - The new Agilent 54622D, has been designed specifically for debugging mixed analogue/digital and MCU-based systems. A unique 2+16 mixed-signal configuration offers simultaneous oscilloscope and logic measurements, while a patented high-definition display works with deep memory to uncover more information about signals within a circuit. The oscilloscope provides a solution to the three toughest problems: observing all the signals of interest at once; finding important details; and seeing how analogue and digital signals interact. The 2+16 channel oscilloscope/logic-analyser configuration is combined with a 2 Mbyte deep memory and a high-definition display which highlights areas of interest in signals, providing totally new insights into the operation of a circuit.

• What technological downturn? - Comtech (Complementary Technologies Ltd) a world leader in the design and development of OEM Communication products for the Embedded market, have just announced another record year of business - an increase in turnover of 34% for the period 2000/2001. Trading and turnover has in fact, increased every year at Comtech for the past 9 years, when its joint managing directors - Barry Lowe and Steve Davies, founded the company. These increases in business are due mainly to the interest and take up of Comtech's unique products by some of the worlds major blue chip companies, in fields such as Industrial Control, Security/Access, Vending, Bio Technology, Gaming Machines, Food Hygiene Monitoring and Flow Metering etc. These companies have found that their product time to market is a lot shorter, when they can get an "End to End solution" from one source, rather than having to mix and match with different partial solutions.
• New US transducers - A new innovative range of plastic ultrasonic transducers is manufactured by Massa Products the recognised leader in the design and manufacture of electroacoustic transducers and systems for use in air and under water. The transducers are available in Europe from sensing and instrumentation specialist Vydas International Marketing.
• Interim report findings published - The findings of the ISUG Consortium (Impact of Standards Users Group), so far, now appear on their website (click on "Status Report") They would be pleased to have reactions, comments etc. and any reports etc. which would provide any data on the impact of standardization! (in the original language is acceptable). The say they still need data! "This study will enable us to use 'evidence based decisions' in our strategic standards policy..." according to Didier Herbert, Enterprise Directorate-General, EU.

• New member of the Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Program - Measuresoft, which provides software development, integration and consultancy services, has been named as a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Collaborative Solutions due to its competence in the latest Microsoft technologies and its proven track record of customer satisfaction. Membership provides Measuresoft with resources to help it develop and deploy robust collaborative solutions that will help customers better manage their company"s data.

• Panel printer - A panel-mounting printer which emulates the major features of the Siemens PT88 desktop printer has been introduced by Metrix Electronics. Incorporating the key features of the well-established IPP 144-40 range of panel printers, the special functions of the IPP 1 44-40S include horizontal and vertical tabulations, form length and bold and expanded print. Designed for process control and instrument panel applications, it is ideal for use with instruments such as PCs, PLCs, DPMs, counters and message displays.
• DP cell detects line plugging - Partial or total plugging of impulse lines to differential or gauge pressure transmitters leads to errors in process pressure, level or flow measurements. This is more frequent with dense sticky materials or at low temperatures. On-line monitoring is now possible, using the Rosemount 3051 F FOUNDATION fieldbus transmitter to detect plugging of its own impulse lines. This is achieved without any extra hardware, and without having to build a process model. A new advanced diagnostics block in the transmitter performs diagnostics that include the impulse lines. Any blockage detected is signalled along the fieldbus.
  Emerson Process Management are supporters of the Signpost. Their advertisement may bee seen on our Fieldbus Site
• Is your system safe? - SILver is exida's on-line safety integrity level calculation tool that allows users to verify the safety integrity of their instrumentation designs. The SILver tool contains a built-in database of product failure rate and diagnostic data. Many new products have been added to the SILver as exida has been able to complete detailed FMEDA analysis of many new types of field equipment used in safety applications.