See Archive Page for earlier news.

30/11/02

Agreement Signed for Manufacturing Excellence Week on Teesside - The third Manufacturing Excellence week will be held over three days at the beginning of May 2003, in a new venue on Teesside. Entitled "Manufacturing Excellence through Automation and Asset Management", the event will include the two day Manufacturing Excellence Forum; a seven stream series of presentations related to asset management; and process industry automation & control. Also included will be several full day training sessions, and a technology showcase of relevant products.
See our report on the very excellent MEW 2002 held earlier this year.
Launch of new industrial optimization and maintenance products web site - Binnington Development Corporation (BDC) recently launched a new Web site specific to its suite of engineered industrial optimization and maintenance products. The Web site, located at www.focusonoptimization.com, is an in-depth and highly visual presentation of the three systems that make up the Focus suite of products: Focus-HSDA, a high-speed data acquisition system; Focus-SOE, a concise sequence of events recorder; and Focus-AI, a high-speed data acquisition and automated PLC adjustment system. The interactive Web site includes a downloadable slide presentation, a Focus article of the month display, case studies, and a logical and easy-to-navigate organization.

New OPC laboratory device for measurement and control - Scientists and engineers can use any OPC-enabled software - LIMS, spreadsheets, databases, etc - to communicate with the new Microlink OPC devices for measurement & control. The user allows te Microlink device manage the initial data collection and then uses his favourite software to store, process and present the data.

Stepper motor controller IC for minimal power consumption - New from Allegro MicroSystems, the A3965 is a motor-control integrated circuit for the pulse-width-modulated (PWM) current control of low voltage stepper motors. The A3965S is a DMOS dual full-bridge driver, and is capable of output currents to ±500 mA and operating voltages to 20 V. It is particularly suited to low-power or battery-operated motors where minimal power consumption is desired.
Appointment signals new era - The latest addition to Transmitton's strengthened management team is Paul Fardon, who joins as Financial Director from Aga Foodservice Group. His appointment is part of major expansion plans for the rail software control company by Managing Director Ian Wright. Several new faces have already joined to bolster the management team. "This appointment, together with the bank of expertise and experience already in place, puts the company firmly on course for future growth in its highly competitive field," according to a spokesman.

Slide chart puts Ethernet basics In your shirt pocket - Contemporary Controls offers a new slide chart that summarizes Ethernet and TCP/IP basics on a pocket-sized reference tool. It's a handy guide you can keep in your desk, and it's small enough to fit in your shirt pocket. The pullout describes the most popular type of Ethernet. For each of these media formats the chart provides data rate, maximum segment length, topology, connectors and application notes.

Fast, faster, the fastest is the resistance measurement instrument Resistomat model 2329 from Burster in measuring your test samples. Up to 50 measurements and classifications per second are possible. This trendsetting new development is ideally suitable for applications in test automats. Measurement ranges from 200,00 mQ up to 200,00 kOhm and a resolution of up to 10 microOhm result in a measuring accuracy of 0.03% rdg. For test samples, where temperature is relevant, such as samples made of Cu, Al or MS, temperature can be compensated by an external PtlOO sensor or by a fast reacting pyrometer. For the classification and selection of the test samples a quadruple limit comparator with switchable outputs is available.

New oscilloscope, probes and analysis tools aid engineers in understanding the signal behaviour of fast digital systems - Emerging technologies such as PCI Express, USB2, and many others are defined by their high data rates and by the engineering challenge of capturing and analysing the signal integrity of the system elements and components. Importantly, these technologies are migrating into mid-market products, whose developers need measurement tools with uncompromised performance and signal fidelity from probing, to acquisition, and analysis. Three new products from Tektronix, the TDS6404 digital storage oscilloscope (DSO), and the P7225 and P6241 active probes, deliver exceptional signal fidelity and performance in their class. In addition, the new OpenChoice software toolset, standard with their open Windows oscilloscopes, supports automation, analysis, and networking by integrating a broad selection of industry-standard drivers for third-party software or customised programming.
Structured connectivity management system offers automated physical-layer management - The Amp NetConnect Division of Tyco Electronics is introducing a new premises cabling structured connectivity management system known as Amptrac. Amptrac is a software-ready intelligent structured connectivity management system for automating the management of the physical layer. The system includes Amp NetConnect premises cabling combined with proprietary patch panels, patch cords, sensors, analysers and all the accessories needed to deploy real-time network monitoring software from iTRACS Corporation. Category 5E, Category 6, and MT-RJ optical fibre solutions will be available for both new and existing networks.

Over 800 control valves will be monitored under new three year agreement - Emerson Process Management has signed a three year contract with Dow Corning, for the supply of control valve monitoring services to their Barry, South Wales plant. As Dow Corning's largest manufacturing plant for silicon-based products globally, production continuity is crucial for the company and its customers. Emerson service personnel will be applying advanced diagnostic tools such as AMS ValveLink and Flowscanner control valve diagnostics.

For any engineer involved with calibration and measurement issues - Sensor Products Inc has announced Xsensor, a new electronic tactile force and pressure indicating sensor. This allows an engineer to monitor precisely how force is disbursed between any two contacting or mating surfaces in real-time while the event occurs. Any application of test where pressure lies between .01 PSI to 9,000 PSI (0.007 kg/cm2 to 632.7 kg/cm2) is a viable candidate for this technology. It is a valuable aid in machine calibration unit pressure distribution between components of machine assemblies such as measuring the interface pressure in mechanically attached joints, gaskets and flanges, clutch and brake plates, frames, shafts, welding heads, teeth of gears, glue and adhesive jigs, and roller nips for steel mills and other applications.
Technical Innovation Award at Ireland's leading technology event goes to process industry software company - Automsoft, the Irish technology company that provides advanced database software for process industries, has won the Technical Innovation Award at the prestigious Irish Software Association Annual Awards. The Award was presented to Paraic O'Toole, Chief Executive Officer of Automsoft, at the event on Friday for the significant commercial advantages Automsoft's product suite RAPID delivers to its customers in the global pharmaceutical, gas and oil, and food and beverage sectors through innovative product design.

Distributor award presented in London - Schaffner Ltd has announced British based, XP plc as its distributor of the year for 2002. The award recognises both XP's overall sales of the products and also the original design-in work carried out with close co-operation between the two companies. When presenting the award, at London's spectacular Somerset House, Michael Lowe, Managing Director at Schaffner commented: "We have had another excellent year of sales by all of our distributors which has made this a tough decision to make. The close working relationship we have established at all levels with XP has been a key factor in making this award. They have proved themselves to be a key supplier of our products into the UK market and achieved excellent sales growth."
Oscilloscopes upgraded with new display modes - Test and measurement instrumentation specialists Pico Technology has announced the immediate availability of five multi-cycle persistence display modes for all 10 of its PC-based oscilloscopes. The new display modes are available free of charge in the latest version of PicoScope - their popular combined oscilloscope, spectrum analyser and meter software which can be downloaded from their site.

World's first production control system for Windows XP - Yokogawa has added Windows( XP functionality in the latest version of its Centum CS3000 distributed control system (DCS), making it the world's first product of its type to feature this operating system. CS3000 is the pre-eminent control system in the world, with over 6000 installed in high-integrity plants and processes globally; it was also the first DCS system launched in the 1970s, and is unique in having a migration path that fully encapsulates all its systems back to the original launch.
New compact DIN indicator - The Omega iSeries, a family of microprocessor-based instruments offered in two true DIN sizes with NEMA-4, IP65 rated front bezels, has added an Ultra Compact Version requiring only a 2-inch space behind the front panel. All of the instruments share the same set-up and configuration menu and method of operation, a tremendous time saver for integration of a large system.
Automatic calibration using spread sheet - Many calibration labs use MS Excel as a tool for managing Calibration "formats" for various instruments. Excel is ideal for this purpose because it allows for dynamic calculation of Calibration uncertainties and limits. It's also easy to use and can generate the details required for a calibration certificate. Now, Transtest has introduced ExCert!, a powerful Excel-based calibration system that allows automatic setup of the Calibration generator, measurement from the reference instrument, calculation of the calibration uncertainty and decision on Pass or Fail status. This means easy setup of the Calibration formats to be used.

Smart Technology in Dublin
- About 130 delegates attended this years Smart Manufacturing Conference, organised by Pantek in Dublin's Clontarf Castle. The conference was divided into several streams, technical, business, application and product. There was also ample time for interaction between delagates and speakers in a lively and informal event.

New motion control publication - Baldor has published Motion Intelligence, a new free newsletter focusing on trends in motion control. To help automation designers appreciate the potential benefits of advanced techniques such as the use of multi-tasking and Active-X controls, the publication draws heavily on real life applications. For a free copy access www.baldor.co.uk/mi

Brand new series of high quality test tool accessories introduced - Fluke has introduced a brand new series of high quality accessories for test tools used by electrical contractors and for general industrial troubleshooting. Offering dual safety category ratings, the accessories are designed to improve steadiness when used in slippery hands so that technicians can concentrate on making accurate measurements. The new Fluke SureGrip accessories are available as sets of test leads, probes and clips, or as kits containing a pair of each type. All the SureGrip accessories are dual rated to 1000V Category III and 600V Category IV so they can be used with the highest rated test equipment required for the job. Soft rubber over-mouldings and carefully contoured finger-hugging curves ensure a reliable grip. Reinforced strain relief in the test leads ensures proper contact and increases the accessory's lifetime.

Shuttle launch saved by new bearings - A fast response from leading bearing manufacturer, The Torrington Company, ensured that the 7th October 2002 launch of the NASA space shuttle, Atlantis, went ahead on time. The launch could have been delayed by cracked bearings found in the massive crawler that transports the shuttles to the launch pad. Torrington saved the situation by manufacturing new bearings to the nearly 40 year old specifications in just three weeks instead of the normal 12- to 15-week lead time for specialised bearings of this type.

New alliance sees radio modems into Europe - MaxStream, Inc., announced today a new alliance with European distributor B&B Electronics Ltd. Known for its strong direct mail campaigns and product access on the Internet, B&B will distribute MaxStream's 24XStream 2.4 GHz line of stand-alone radio modems throughout Europe.
The 24XStream is an FCC, IC (Canada) and ETSI (Europe) approved, stand-alone radio modem that operates in the worldwide, license-free 2.4 GHz transmission band. This high-performance transceiver boasts a -104 dBm sensitivity providing extended transmission range. Users can receive transmissions up to 1/8 mile (0.21 km) in an urban environment, 1.4 miles (2.25 km) line-of-sight and 4.5 miles (7.24 km) with high-gain antennas. 8/11/02
Irish Electricity board wins major US contract - The Ireland's electricity supply board's international arm, ESBI and the ESB National Grid, have been chosen as the preferred bidder for a major five-year contract to supply one-tenth of the electricity in the US. The contract to run the electricity transmission grid in the south-east of the US is for an area six times the size of Ireland, is worth $150m a year and will involve the state-owned ESB managing assets worth $9bn and establishing a local company creating 250 jobs. The 73,000-megawatt network which the ESB will operate covers the states of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi as well as parts of Texas and Florida.
7/11/02
Solutions for the bio-industry - BioAnalytica, which will be held for the first time at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from April 1 - 4, 2003, picks up exactly at this transition point in the value-added chain, i.e. where business begins and sales are generated. The international trade fair, which also serves as a basis for the BioAnalytica Conference, sees itself as more than a platform for presenting the latest developments and trends in this innovative branch of industry. Its primary focus is on solutions for the bio-industry, i.e. integrating the developments of new biotech companies, universities, research clusters and spin-offs into industrial production processes in the pharmaceuticals, medical-technology, ecology and nutrition sectors.
6/11/02
New ISA President-elect Secretary elected - ISA-The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society has announced the election of Lowell E. McCaw to president-elect secretary of the Society at its annual meeting in Chicago. McCaw will officially take office 1 January 2003, and, as president-elect secretary, he will assume the presidency of the Society in 2004.
5/11/02
Measuring dispensed beer flow totals - Titan Enterprises, the innovative engineering firm, has perfected a monitor for beer flow that gives a low cost pints totaliser with some sophisticated security features to detect tampering. They have supplied their MkII Totaliser to the Scarisbrick Hotel in Southport, and several similar Hotels where large functions are a significant part of normal business, to monitor the total number of pints delivered in the bars, on each session. The units, mounted in the main beer delivery lines, have an integral display of flow total, and are installed using standard John Guest 3/8" push-on fittings.
What's really happening? - The community of instrumentation, automation and systems people is small enough that people know each other fairly well. There are a number of small intimate publications which foster this knowledge. People like Jim Pinto and in the past jack Grenard, do a remarkable job especially in America. However in Europe the well informed I&C professional must read Andrew Bond's IEA - Industrial Automation Insider. Indeed we are reliably informed that copies find their way to other continents as well. Every month twelve tightly typed pages are whipped around the world with the inside stories behind the headlines in Andrews inimitable and entertaining style. This month is no exception. What's behind Emerson downloading Intellution to GE Fanuc? How'sd ABB weathering the profits warning? If you dont get a copy alraedy you're not informed. Sign up for it on the web site and tell him that the Signpost sent you!.
Industrial & medical fibre optic light guides - Vydas International Marketing have announced additional products in their range of high quality industrial glass fibre optic light guides which now includes illumination bundles for use in the repair of medical instrumentation and endoscopes. High quality industrial fibres, manufactured to the highest standards, now give customers the benefit of buying at really competitive prices, regardless of which manufacturer's photoelectric sensors are to be used in the application.
Conventional compression fitting style evolves to handle pressures to 15,000PSI - Parker Instrumentation has launched a breakthrough in tube fittings for liquid and gas instrumentation systems, with a new 'rapid assembly' design that will handle pressures up to 15,000 PSI. Based on the familiar, industry-standard compression technique - which allows a fitting to be installed in seconds by simply tightening a nut - the new fittings eliminate the time-consuming 'coning and threading' practices that usually need to be performed in the field when applying traditional high pressure fittings.
New plate reader for fluorescence - The MicroMax 384 is a microwell-plate reader able to accept plates with up to 384 wells, and connect to a SPEX FluoroMax or Fluorolog spectrofluorometer from Jobin Yvon 2/11/02
Lessons Learned at the ISA 2002 Conference... alleviating pain, generating leads, managing the sales cycle - At this month's gathering of automation professionals at the Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation (ISA) Conference in Chicago, it was apparent that the industry is in pain (as are most manufacturing and technology markets). Throughout the week, the dominant complaint was the lack of business. Telesian Technology asked "What are you doing to generate new leads?", "What are you doing to keep in touch with current customers?", "What are you doing to differentiate yourself?" From the responses, the distilled the top 5 lessons learned from ISA 2002...what's working and what isn't. Each is an important lesson for any technology or manufacturing industry, especially during a tight economy!
1/11/02
Connector links devices to serial power bus - The new Han-Power S connector from Harting allows external field devices such as electric motors to be connected directly to an industrial serial power bus without the need for physically cutting the cable. The new device is suitable for standard multicore cable types and only requires the outer jacket of the cable to be removed. The individual conductors are connected by insulation displacement technology within the device, thus allowing the Han-Power S to be positioned at any point in the power bus structure.
elearning Conference announced - An unprecedented global conference on eLearning is to be hosted in Britain early next year. The conference, eLearninternational 2003, is being staged by Scottish Enterprise on 9-12 February and will line up experts from government, commerce and academia around the world. The conference aims to increase the level of training and education conducted online, around the world, in a market thought to be worth €38billion globally.