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Instrumentation and Control News
See Archive Page for earlier news.

31/3/99

• - The ISA Executive Board appointed Dr. James E. Pearson to succeed Glenn F. Harvey as executive director of ISA, the international society for measurement and control, effective 3 May 1999. Harvey is retiring after 32 years with ISA, the past 22 as executive director.
• New appointments at ICS Triplex - ICS Triplex has announced five new management appointments: (L to R) Gary Diddams becomes General Manager Customer Care, Tony Parsell becomes General Manager Finance and Administration, Phil Buttling becomes General Manager Operations at the company's Maldon facility and Stephen Gibbins becomes General Manager Product. Not included in picture Tim Brong becomes General Manager Operations at the company's Houston facility
  ICS Triplex is a member of the ICS Group, a global controls organisation comprising a number of other operating companies, notably, Max Controls (formerly the DCS division of Leeds and Northrup), and Transmitton (SCADA systems). The group has operations in the UK, Spain, France, Italy, the USA, Australia and China, and had sales of £75M in the year ended May 98.
• World's first portable full-capability burst generator - Schaffner has launched the world's smallest full-function burst generator. Packaged as an ergonomic bench-top instrument measuring just 342mm wide by 134mm high, the new NSG 3025 sets a new standard in EMC test flexibility. The instrument has been specifically developed as a multi-environment test tool, combining the portability and standalone test capabilities needed for on-site system evaluation, with the extended functions and automated control facilities required for product development and certificafion work in laboratories and EMC test houses.
• Fieldbus panel discussion and open house - Syncrude Canada, Ltd. hosted a Foundation Fieldbus panel discussion and open house on February 1 as part of the ongoing host system interoperability testing at its research center in Edmonton, Alberta. The event, which drew more than 100 attendees, was coordinated with the local ISA section.
• Innovative new PCB test tool - An innovative low-cost PCB test tool has been launched by Circuit Trace, a start-up company that intends to sell direct from the world-wide web. The new CT 100 is a small handheld connectivity tester that enables service engineers and technicians to accurately locate all interconnected points on a PCB within seconds, simply by wiping a conductive brush over the surface of the board and listening for an audible tone. This extremely simple and elegant approach can be used to significantly reduce fault-finding time on virtually any type of PCB, regardless of component technology or board complexity. It is especially cost-effective for boards with bus structures or surface-mount components, where locating shorts and opens on ultra-fine tracks often proves a time-consuming and frustrating experience.
• Mass flow controllers to debut at Semicon Europa - Unit Instruments will release a new range of all-digital mass flow controllers (MFCs) compatible with the Profibus protocol at SEMICON Europa, extending its choice of fieldbus connectivity options with a protocol tha popular with European-based semiconductor manufacturers and equipment OEMs.
• Schaffner acquires MEB Messelektronik Berlin - The Schaffner Group has expanded its leading global position in the EMC test equipment market with the acquisition of German firm MEB Messelektronik Berlin GmbH. MEB is a leading European provider of high-frequency test equipment for measuring and analyzing electromagnetic interference. Its high-precision equipment can be used across a very broad range of frequencies (9kHz up to 2.75GHz) and enjoys an excellent reputation in trade circles. MEB reported 1998 sales of around DM 6 million and currently has 35 employees.
• Marine tank monitoring system - Whessoe Varec has released a marine version of its Windows NT-based supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software for fluids handling applications. The package brings the benefits of intuitive graphics and dedicated mathematics for tank gauging, as part of a system which improves both performance and cost effectiveness via open interfacing to field instruments, and simple networking with other IT systems.
• Fieldbus Online offers international section and end user area - Fieldbus Foundation today announced that an international section has been added to its growing Worldwide Web site, Fieldbus Online. The web site now offers current fieldbus news in German, French and Italian.
• New Name - Following the merger between Xycom Inc - the Industrial PC, HMI and VMEbus manufacturer and ASAP (Automation Systems and Products) - the PC-based control software supplier, the two companies have now announced a new name - Xycom Automation Inc. The name reflects the unified position of the two companies as an automation company offering complete, streamlined solutions. In the future Xycom Automation will be offering control products with increasing integration to make application development and runtime simpler and more efficient. Xycom Automation's goal is to help customers achieve the full potential of their machinery and process through open automation.
• New Logo - From March, Schneider worldwide will introduce a new logo and graphic image. With the full integration of Merlin Gerin, Telemecanique, Modicon and Square D, it is an entirely different company from the Groupe Schneider of 1981. Schneider is now an integrated international manufacturing company and world leader in electrical distribution, industrial control and automation.
• MTLconnects to Fisher Rosemount's AMS software - Connection to Fisher Rosemount's increasingly popular Asset Management Solutions (AMS) software for HART instruments is now provided by the backplane mounted MTL4840 HART connection system from > Measurement Technology Limited.
• New software predicts thermowell Vortex Shedding problems - Thermocouple Instruments has announced WFCaIc, a new Windows software package that makes it very quick and simple for process plant engineers and designers to predict vortex shedding (Wake Frequency) problems with thermowel Is. Supplied on a CD, the Win 95/98/NT compatible software package encapsulates over 30 years of experience in applying the accepted international standards and the menu driven user interface prompts for all the data required. The package handles both parallel and ASME Power Test Code 19.3 tapered thermowells and includes an extensive drop down menu of materials including most common and many exotic materials. Tools to convert from mass or volumetric flow to velocity and a comprehensive help file all contribute to making WFCaIc exceptionally user friendly. Results can be printed or saved to disk for future reference.

The Instrumentation Signpost has interesting pointers for the I&C Professional.

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