See Archive Page for earlier news.

31/5/04

The strange case of the disapearing press release! - "Now here's a funny thing. On Thursday May 20 th the postman delivered to the IAI nerve centre a press release sent by Dan Bogard, who handles press relations for Invensys subsidiary Eurotherm.... Under the headline "Eurotherm To Sell Wonderware Products In The UK", the release related how 'Eurotherm Limited has been appointed as the latest sales channel for Wonderware industrial software in UK" and referred to Roy Smith as "Eurotherm's newly appointed Wonderware Product Manager". Subsequent enquiries elicited with the following statement also from Bogard, "Unfortunately, this press release apparently contained a number of factual errors, and we would be grateful if you would discard it entirely. I have sent this message out to all recipients. I believe that it is Eurotherm's intention to issue a corrected and approved version in the near future." If you wish to read the rest of this incredible story we suggest that you buy your own copy of IAI from Andrew Bond. Suffice it to say that in subsequent discussions with Pantek's John Bailey, the intrepid distributors for Wonderware not only in Britain but also in Ireland, Andrew learned that "The problems with the supply of Wonderware are now resolved. Pantek now have a cast iron agreement with Wonderware whereby Pantek will be the sole source of supply of Wonderware in Ireland and Britain." As Lewis Carroll might have said "Curiouser and curiouser!"
Above story from the June 2004 issue of Industrial Automation Insider
Geek Pride day - Dick Morley, the ultimate geek, is once again organizing his (Fourth) Annual Geek Pride Day - June 24, 2004 at the Morley barn in the woods of Mason, New Hampshire (US). "Geek Pride Day will be informal, with a glorious BBQ - the traditional pig roast with all the fixin's. All good geeks gather will gather around to swap stories no one else seems to understand; non geek intercourse is strongly discouraged. Only the first 75 geeks will be admitted."

Electromagnetic flow meters balance the books at paper mill - UK Paper has specified Yokogawa Admag AE dual-frequency electromagnetic flowmeters for measuring the flow of recycled fibre (RCF) between its RCF Plant and adjacent New Thames Paper Mill in Kent (GB). Accurate measurement of these flows is vital both for accounting purposes (since RCF is a commodity traded between the separate business units) and for monitoring efficiency and quality at the two facilities.
The RCF plant produces 120,000 tonnes per year of recycled pulp from 180,000 tonnes of reclaimed mixed office waste paper, and is one of the measures taken by the company to minimise the environmental impact of paper making. Recycled fibre pulp is piped directly to the adjacent New Thames paper mill, where it provides a cost effective alternative to virgin paper pulp without sacrificing quality.
New colour catalogue showcases the latest tools for HVAC - Wavetek Meterman Test Tools, a leading brand for value-for-money test tools and accessories, has released its free, full-colour 2004 product catalogue for electricians.
New platform increases application flexibility, boosts productivity, eases migration - GE Fanuc has introduced the new PACSystems RX3i controller - the latest addition to the innovative PACSystems family. PACSystems features a single control engine and universal programming environment, which provides application portability across multiple hardware platforms to deliver a true convergence of control choices. Featuring the same control engine as the PACSystems RX7i, it offers a high level of automation functionality in a compact, cost-effective package.

New vice president of worldwide salesappointed - Verano, the innovative and leading provider of security solutions for mission-critical industrial operations, announced today the naming of Dan Davis as vice president of worldwide sales. Davis will be responsible for revenue generation of all Verano products and services, working at the Mansfield headquarters. Prior to joining Verano, Dan held various senior level positions at industry leading companies, ABB and Schneider Electric, most recently serving as senior vice president of sales and strategic marketing with ABB.
More on cyber security on our CyberSafe page
New end user council in middle east - The Fieldbus Foundation has announced the establishment of the Foundation fieldbus End User Council­Middle East (FFEUC-ME).
More on this and other Fieldbus news on our Fieldbus News page
New competitive pricing for development tools - Ashling Microsystems, world leader in Embedded Software Development Tools, has introduced new pricing for its extensive range of development tools supporting the ARM microprocessor family.
Newsletter continues - We know how difficult it can be to mantain a regular newsletter. Pema are advertisers on our Standards Page

Out of the mists! - The latest issue of ISA's Intech is shipped with a Protocal supplement entitled "Demystifying a protocol." And who among us completly understands the myriad of protocols, acronyms etc with which the automation discipline is loaded., FDT.DTM, DD, OS, VFD, XML, DDL, not to mention semi propritorial names like Profibus or Fieldbus Foundation, HART and CAN. This 24 page collection should help unravel some of the terms and help in understanding what is happening in this important area of our business.
Intech is a member benefit for members of ISA and is distributed every month free of charge throughout the world to members.
One-stop technology reviews at new site - Technology Owl is a new site that provides technology reviews and news from global sources, delivered in an extremely accessible format and updated continuously. The site's comprehensive content is available without fees. Said Co-Founder Gary Lahey, "Now busy people don't have to waste time searching the Web because Technology Owl delivers one-stop access to reviews of products that interest them."
Compact vision system advances - Engineers can now execute more sophisticated image processing applications that require fast frame rates and complex algorithms with the latest version in the National Instruments rugged Compact Vision System series. The new NI CVS-1456 delivers 83 percent more processing power and eight times more memory than the original version of the Compact Vision System released in June 2003.
Stepper motors are available in three magnet configurations - Penn Motion MAE hybrid stepper motors are available in three magnet configurations to suit the widest range of application requirements. The Y series (Sizes 16, 17, and 22) contain AlNiCo magnets and are suited to high speed applications whilst the N series (Sizes 34 and 42) have neodymium magnets for excellent torque to inertia rating and offer superior acceleration. For the smoothest operation, the S series (Sizes 22 and 34) also use neodymium magnets and are engineered for fine positioning to suit microstepping drives. All three series of these motors deliver accurate open loop control for high-performance positioning applications and are available for customisation with value added features such as gearboxes, encoders, special shafts and leadwire/connector assemblies.
Penn Motion was formerly known as Pittman Europe
New owner, new direction, new structure...... - The conclusion of Nematron Corporation's return to private ownership heralds an exciting new future with an announcement to breathe new life into the company with a restructured organisation and newly defined product strategy. David Hicks, Managing Director of their successful international business group for the past seven years has been appointed Chief Executive Officer with a mandate to overhaul worldwide operations. The steady progress made in international markets in recent years, particularly Asia-Pacific, places demands for a more globally oriented operational structure in order to meet the more varied business profile experienced by the Ann Arbor (US) based industrial automation supplier; now in its 22nd year. David Hicks says, "whilst I envisage the US domestic market will remain our number one market in terms of revenue for many years to come we must also prepare the organisation to rise to the challenge of exciting growth potential for our products in the international markets".
Online service for fast and cost-effective remote monitoring and control - Carlo Gavazzi has introduced web-based data hosting to its Dupline range of field and installation-monitoring and control products, allowing access to recorded data from any PC with an Internet connection.
New float level switches - K-TEK, leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art level instrumentation for liquid and bulk solids detection, has announced the MS50, the latest version of the company's low cost float level switch. Priced up to 25% less than competitive models, the MS50 is designed to reliably handle a wide range of applications, including sump level control, alarms, and shutdowns.

Debut Into The cPCI Market - Pentek, pioneers in VME board-level technology, announced today it's first entry into the cPCI market with a 3U 16-channel multiband-receiver board and a 6U 32-channel multiband-receiver board featuring 14-bit A/D converters and Virtex-II FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) for signal processing. Both boards consist of one or two Model 7131 digital receiver PMC modules and a PMC-to-cPCI adapter assembled and tested as a single cPCI board.
New solution provides electronics manufacturing visibility from the shop floor to the executive suite - Tecnomatix Technologies, "the driving force in Manufacturing Process Management (MPM)", today unveiled eM-Execution, the latest solution in the company's eMPower(TM) for Electronics offerings. eM-Execution combines proven solutions with cutting-edge technologies to create the most thorough Web-based software solution created specifically to meet the unique production management and analytical needs of electronics circuit board manufacturers and their supply chain partners

Piezo technology makes intelligent valves a cost effective, intrinsically safe option - Spotting a gap in the market for an intelligent control valve combining impressive functionality with low cost and ease of use, Heap & Partners has developed a smart positioner built around Hoebiger-Origa's piezo-pneumatic technology and microprocessor control.
Piezo technology was pioneered by Hoerbiger-Origa, and was seen as the ideal choice for their Storm positioner. The piezo valves are supplied to Heap & Partners mounted to a purpose designed manifold as a fully tested sub-assembly, helping Heap & Partners to reduce production costs and speed up assembly times.
New portable power cell for machine & process analysis - Vydas International Marketing has announced the release of a new unique portable power monitor manufactured by Load Controls. The NEW PPC-3 portable power cell, offers accurate and extremely fast (15mS) true power measurement which is ideal for machine analysis or process development, allowing process engineers the flexibility to assess the performance of individual machines and product processes.

Enhanced web enabled controller to be released - Control Technology, the leading manufacturer of automation controllers that integrate motion control, I/O, user interfaces, and enterprise connectivity, has added the Model 5200 to its Blue Fusion line of web enabled automation controllers. It features the following enhancements:
Built-in web server enables users to securely monitor, control and upgrade processes via Internet access.
Multi-unit expansion racks enable users to control larger applications with more I/O via a single CPU and control strategy. A single Blue Fusion system can now control up to 192 I/O points and up to six axes of motion.
Bidirectional email support lets the Blue Fusion controller send alerts or production data via an email message. Users can also send an email to the unit with customized instructions to modify the operation of the controller.
Local data logging records millions of points in real time. Can be used in conjunction with remote servers to provide redundant data archival.
Flash file storage enables users to store process-related files such as CAD, video and documentation on the controller
It supports popular protocols such as UDP, TCP/IP, HTTP, and Modbus Master/Slave TCP.
Automation solutions for electronic manufacturing, test and inspection, and data storage - This 32-page brochure presents Aerotech's motion control and positioning system solutions for electronic assembly, pick and place, PCB laser drilling/stencil cutting, wafer singulation, automated optical inspection, and more. Products include the Automation 3200 software-based controller, linear and rotary nanopositioners, servomotors and drives, robots, actuators, and industry-specific motion systems.
Playing safe! - There are few subjects which most of us need to keep up-to-date with more than safety, whether it's product safety issues, or machine and plant safety. For that reason, this week ProTalk are launching a new publication, the eleventh in their lineup, dedicated to product, machine and plant safety. Industrialsafetytalk will take the same format as Engineeringtalk, with a website updated every day, and - shortly - a regular email newsletter. You can sign up right now to be sent the newsletter (which is free, naturally).
Chris Rand of ProTalk says, "I'm pleased to say that we've managed to get the well-known engineering journalist Jonathan Severn to edit the website and the newsletter. For many years, Jonathan wrote the "Safety First" section in the UK's largest design engineering magazine, Industrial Technology, and he currently contributes to magazines such as Industrial Networking and Open Control, and European Design Engineer. Jonathan aims to get a substantial amount of original news and information into Industrialsafetytalk, so you'll read about many issues that we perhaps might not have got into Engineeringtalk or our sister publication Manufacturingtalk."
ProcessingTalk, another of this group of news resources has an advert on our Publications Page.

New accelerometer designed to measure very high frequencies - Techni Measure are now offering the new 352A60 accelerometer from PCB Piezotronics which has been specifically designed for very high frequency measurements. This lightweight, single axis, ICPr accelerometer features an extended flat frequency response from 5Hz to 60kHz (+/-3dB). The unit has a sensitivity rating of 10mV/g, with a measurement range of 500g. Built in ICPr electronics, provide clean low impedance voltage output signals that can be transmitted over relatively long cable lengths.
Four step error checker poster published! - Keithley Instruments has announced availability of its Four Step Error Checker Poster that offers guidance to engineers and scientists for avoiding common low-level measurement errors. The poster illustrates the measurement type and typical applications, the symptoms of error and their likely causes, and guidelines for avoiding these errors. A free copy is available at www.keithley.com/pr/003.html
Patiently patantly oiling the innovation engine - It was innovation that made Endress+Hauser big. Innovation shaped the beginnings when the company started replacing involved and expensive manual level monitoring by the new capacitance level measurement from a back room, as it were, in 1953. The revolutions of the Endress+Hauser innovation motor are constantly in-creasing. The Group filed patent applications for 157 inventions in 2003 - the highest number in the company's history. These are 26 applications more than during the previous year and almost three times as many as in 1999 when the targeted promotion of proprietary rights was started with the "Patent Rights In-centive Program".
E+H adds, "These figures may seem low in comparison to the 3,949 inventions for which Siemens, the "German Patent Champion", filed applications in 2003 or the 3,178 applications of Bosch. However, in relation to its staff of 417,000, Siemens achieved only one application for every 106 employees, in case of Bosch (230,000 staff) it is one application for every 72 employees. Endress+Hauser, in comparison, employing a staff of slightly below 6,000 generates one patent application for every 38 employees."

Low-cost USB analyser - Now available from Computer Solutions, the USB Tracker 110 is a compact, low-cost, non-intrusive USB analyser designed to support the development of USB devices and related software.
USB is becoming more and more popular as a way of interfacing embedded systems to PCs. However, its protocols are complex, and an analyser greatly simplifies debugging both the hardware and the application. To date, USB analysers have been very expensive but the new USB Tracker 110 sells at a price level that makes it feasible to purchase one for every engineer working on the project.
Industry-proven alternative for dynamic control design decreases development time and cost - National Instruments has announced MATRIXx 7.1, the latest version of the industry-proven software suite for fast, cost-effective model-based design of dynamic control systems. MATRIXx 7.1 introduces better debugging, model management and automatic code generation to accelerate system development for aerospace and automotive design applications.
IPm evaluation kit- everything you need to demo your good ideas - SIXNet now offers an easy way for Integrators, OEMS, or end users to test out the Linux IPm industrial technology and their unique ideas together. The IPM-DEMO-1 is pre-wired and ready to plug in and go. Highlights include a VersaTRAK IPm RTU, ST-MIX16880 combination I/O module, and a 60-day software license. They say, "Lease this convenient demo package and try out the most open and flexible automation and control system in the world."

New low capacity chlorine dioxide generator controls legionella in small buildings - A new chlorine dioxide generator with a capacity of up to 15 g/h has been introduced by ProMinent Fluid Controls as part of a new Bello Zon series. The new low capacity unit is ideally suited to use in small establishments such as retirement homes, where the inhabitants may be particularly susceptible to the legionella bacteria. Chlorine dioxide is a highly effective disinfectant and secondary dosing into both cold and hot water systems has been proven to be highly effective for the control of legionella. Chlorine dioxide disinfection is also used to control legionella in cooling towers, heat exchangers and other recirculating pipes in buildings.
UV/Vis spectrophotometer meets all the requirements - The Digilab-Hitachi U-2800 double beam UV/Visible spectrophotometer has been designed to meet a host of validation and regulatory requirements for traceability in analytical methods. The instrument is supplied in Britain by Lambda Advanced Technology and is available as a standalone instrument or with PC control. The instrument features self-validation for GLP/GMP, and will also conform to European Pharmacopoeia and CFR 21 Part 11 requirements.

New rotary valve delivers longer life in erosive slurry applications - Emerson Process Management/Fisher has introduced the Slurry Vee-Ball control valve, which provides a longer service life in erosive slurry type applications, such as in metals and mineral processing, when compared with other valve types. With a rugged construction, wear-resistant trim materials, and an unrestricted straight through flow path, the Vee-Ball valve design is ideal for controlling the most abrasive of slurries. It is available in 3", 4", 6", 8", 10" and 12" sizes.
Fittings and valves standardised - Parker Instrumentation has been selected as the preferred supplier of fluid instrumentation tube fittings and valves by Borealis Group's polyolefin plastics manufacturing plants in Beringen and Kallo, Belgium. The strategic agreement allows Borealis to realise cost savings by simplifying its supply chain, and follows an evaluation by Borealis that ensured Parker's components met the company's stringent technical requirements.
Water quality surges ahead through bead testing - As a world leading manufacturer of ion exchange resins, Thermax Pvt Ltd, based in India, knows all there is to know about water purification. Naturally, the tiny polymer beads that make up a typical ion exchange column require high standards of manufacturing precision to be effective in water purification. Compression strength analysis of beads is just one of many physical tests in the company's rigourous quality control programme. However, until recently, the company tested each bead individually, which was extremely time consuming and placed a significant drain on resources. To solve this problem and speed up the testing process, Thermax installed a semi-automated testing solution from Lloyd Instruments (through local representatives Hemetek Techno Instruments Pvt Ltd, that featured the company's LFPlus 1kN (225 lbf) single column testing machine, and a custom built rotating sample table. Capable of accommodating up to 72 beads at once, the sample table maintains precise probe alignment for each test, and rotates at a fixed smooth speed of 0.2 RPM. The table provides greater accuracy by eliminating any inaccuracies from side load effects and features a computer interface for extended control. A special bead compression test program, using the NeXegen MT data analysis software and advanced Ondio application builder software, was developed. The program rejects any beads that show abnormal results, and automatically generates a report on the percentage of beads that show a crush strength of less than 150 gms, less than 200gms and the average strength from a batch of 60.
Leading engineering and construction company makes new corporate agreement - Aspen Technology has announced a multi-year software license agreement with Aker Kvaerner, a major global engineering and construction services company. The new corporate agreement provides all Aker Kvaerner sites with access to a range of Aspen Engineering Suite (AES) products for simulation, optimization and design. The products will help the company to deliver superior, cost-effective solutions to its customers in the oil & gas production, refining, petrochemicals, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals industries.
Helping to maintain safe operation at Scottish sludge plant! - Emerson Process Management announces installation of its Rosemount Analytical in-situ oxygen analysers to monitor oxygen levels within the ovens at the Daldowie sludge drying plant near Glasgow. The plant plans to activate the communications technology of PlantWeb digital plant architecture for efficient monitoring of calibration and performance. The project forms part of the Scottish Water overall strategy to invest in new technologies and advanced methods of beneficially recycling sewage sludge, in line with the EU Directive prohibiting the disposal of sludge at sea.
British water industry provider appointed - Seba KMT, manufacturers of leak detectors and cable locators, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mans International as the sole UK distributor of water industry equipment in the UK. Seba KMT is a major player in the world's construction and utilities markets, and now sees the UK as an opportunity for growth and brand positioning. The appointment also recognises Mans International's growing strength and expansion since its formation early last year.
New version of locost data acquisition and control software - Windmill Software has announced a new release of their Windmill data acquisition and control software suite. Version 6 collects data from a large array of sensors and equipment including T/cs, pressure Txs, flow meters, GPS receivers, laboratory instruments, Ethernet, USB, RS232 RS485 and ModBus devices.

Heavy hitter secured for annual conference! - This year Manufacturing Excellence, the process industry conference on the benefits of automation and asset management, will be held from 15-17 June. Last year two conferences were held, one in Teesside and another in Cork, Ireland: this year the venue will be close to the NEC in Birmingham, allowing easier access from all points. The Manufacturing Excellence conference brings together experienced engineers and plant managers from the process industries, their contractors and suppliers, to learn, share best practice, and network with colleagues in the industry. Driving costs down and improving performance is essential year on year, and the conference will show how this has been achieved, using modern automation and asset management techniques. Manufacturing Excellence 2004 presents the new techniques that can make tremendous efficiencies in how our plants operate. The conference usually includes a gala dinner with an eminent guest speaker and this year is no exception with the attendance of Sir Henry Cooper - who once floored Ali - the former European and British and Commonwealth heavyweight boxing champion.
New name and organisation innaugurated - Following the recent announcement from PennEngineering USA a new European group known as PennEngineering Motion Technologies - Europe has been formed to unify the PittMan and MAE brand motor products and resources across the European market. The new organisation is structured to provide comprehensive motor product, technical, and service capabilities across-the-board to all customer industries
New laser product features advanced timing and sophisticated signal processing for pinpoint accuracy at up to 200 feet - K-TEK, a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art level instrumentation for liquid and bulk solids detection, today announced the LM200 laser transmitter designed for measurement of dry bulk solids, opaque liquids, and slurries at distances of up to 200 feet (60 meters). The unit features an advanced timing system and sophisticated, self-correcting signal processing functions that allow it to accurately and reliably measure level, distance, and position in the harshest of conditions.
New 'Dirty Duty' motors optimise protection for severe processing environments - Baldor has released a new grade of electric motors for 'dirty duty' applications. They feature a range of special protection measures that will withstand the most severe and corrosive applications in the processing industry, and intense high-pressure washdown. The new DirtyDutyWD motor range features a new exterior surface coating that is bonded to its steel frame, and to the cast-iron endplates, conduit box, lid and base. The coating is impervious to high pressures, extreme temperatures and caustic chemicals that can deteriorate painted motor components. In addition, an FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) approved surface coating offers additional protection against the most severe washdown applications, and provides a level of protection suitable for marine applications such as IEEE 45 and USCG 259 (below-deck service).
Analyzer on USB - ProfiTrace is "the most powerful high-speed network analyzer for ProfiBus". It is based on USB and is the latest generation in the line of busmonitor technology. The analyzer has advanced algorithms and a smart link between protocol- and electrical measurements. This outstanding tool will boost the limits and capabilities of service, maintenance, and engineering personnel.
More on this and other items on our Fieldbus News page
TEDS measurement platform for smart sensors - National Instruments has announced new Sensors Plug&Play software and hardware products based on the recently passed IEEE 1451.4 standard for smart Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) sensors. TEDS technology eliminates paper based sensor data sheets by digitally storing data such as scaling parameters, calibration and sensor vendor information on an embedded EEPROM chip, simplifying sensor configuration and eliminating the risk of data entry errors.
New office in Middle East opened - Moore Industries has opened a new sales and service office in Bahrain. This office will support their expanding customer base in the Middle East by providing localized customer support to this rapidly growing region. The new office will be instrumental in the marketing and sales of their lines of process control instrumentation, and in underlining the Company's commitment to providing quality service to customers around the globe. Nabil Nader will serve as director of the new office, and be responsible for developing sales channel, OEM and technology partnerships.
Free literature and CD-ROM - Artesyn Technologies has published a new version of its popular short-form guide to DC/DC and AC/DC power conversion products. Now in its fourth edition, the Quick-select Guide is available as a 16-page printed document and also - for the first time - as a CD-ROM. Both versions contain well-structured reference data, enabling electronics designers and system developers to easily locate and compare different power sources.
New nanosecond light sources - Jobin Yvon IBH is the only company able to supply pulsed sources based on laser diodes, LEDs and flashlamps. These sources provide good temporal stability, multiple wavelengths, good intensity stability, as well as reproducible pulse shapes. Choose NanoLEDs for a novel range of sources based on LEDs and laser diodes to produce pulse durations of 50ps to 2ns, between 370nm and 660nm. Or SpectraLEDs for longer pulses more suitable for phosphorescence measurements.
LIMS contract ensures success - British software developer Autoscribe today announced one of the fastest and successful trading periods of its twenty three year history. Since December 2003, eleven Matrix LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) software packages have been ordered by leading laboratories throughout the world. Five systems have been implemented already and the rest are due for completion within the next month. One key customer has placed its fifth successive order. Companies from France, Greece and Holland have also ordered the latest Matrix LIMS package. All deals include pre and post sales service, full implementation of the software, and configuration at the point of use.
Bench multimeter offers extended resolution - The model 1604, new from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments), is a low-cost auto/manual ranging bench-top digital multimeter with an extended resolution display. The new instrument offers 43/4-digit (40,000-count) scale length, true RMS AC measurement, a basic accuracy of 0.08%, and a resolution of 10 µV and 10 milliohms.
Micro pressure sensors detect very small changes - New micro pressure sensors specifically designed to detect very small changes in the ambient pressure levels for Industrial Control have been introduced by Omron. Designed for use in air and similar environments, Omron is offering the new D8M sensor with two output options. The D8M-A1 is an analogue sensor, with a pressure range of 0-4.9kPa, and an output voltage of 0-1.25VDC. The D8M-D1 has a range of 0-5.9kPa, and has a pulse count output with a frequency, depending on the version chosen, of 45 - 450 kHz.

Roadshow takes products and systems directly to users' plant doors - The Yokogawa Roadshow, which is touring Ireland and Britain in April and May 2004, is a major initiative to bring Yokogawa's systems, products and unrivalled process expertise directly to the plant doors of customers. The Roadshow, which takes the form of a customised, self-contained articulated truck measuring 16.5x2.6 x4 m on the road and expanding to a huge 17x9x 7 m on site, enables process engineers to see the latest in Fieldbus integration, flow and transmitter technology and Yokogawa's renowned Prosafe safety system. It visited the annual show in Cork, on 11th May.
Portable transducer indication - At last, on the move, transducer indication is a reality! Two new models fom Applied Measurements offer the engineer a choice of accuracy and function. The PD 100 , weighing only 270gms has a 41/2 digit display and is compatible with most strain gauge based transducers including force, weight, pressure, displacement and torque sensors. Configuration is simple via the 5 keys on the front panel; On/Off, Prog, Tare, Reset, and Chan. It can be factory configured to operate as a single or 16 channel instrument, enabling multiple transducer calibration and reading. Other features include peak and trough hold and 40 hour battery life. Input range being O-0.5mV/V to 0-4.5mV/V. The high resolution, high accuracy, TR150 is again simple to use with just six key options on the front panel, On/Off, Peak, Trough, Gross/Net, Hold, Shunt/Calibration.
Novel software increases the throughput of sample weighing system - Aitken Scientific Ltd has created a novel software solution for a new sample weighing system developed in association with GlaxoSmithKline's Technology Development Department and the University of Warwvick. The new system is in use in the Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery at GSK in Stevenage, where it is taking care of the repetitive and time-consuming weighing of compounds and providing a throughput of more than twice that of a traditional weighing system.

Innovative CAN bus test system for digital oscilloscopes - LeCroy introduces an innovative CAN Bus test solution for its popular WaveRunner 6000 series oscilloscopes. While Vector Analysers can do only part of the job, CANbus TD and a LeCroy WaveRunner 6000 oscilloscope is the perfect solution for locating CAN Bus physical layer problems and debugging CAN Bus controllers and systems. It is unique in allowing a user to correlate physical layer signals with protocol layer data information. Having all of this information in one place will allow users to intuitively find problems that they weren't aware of, will increase parts and systems reliability, and will lower costs.
Remote monitoring to a mobile saves electricity - Businesses can now make huge savings by remote monitoring their energy usage through a mobile phone with the new GSM modem from Jekyll. The Telemodem2 Mobile is built for reliability in extreme environments and uses very little host power when connected to a typical electricity meter. The application of Automated Meter Reading has grown in recent years because of the fast, efficient manner in which energy usage can be monitored. Businesses have also seen a rise in energy tax following the introduction of the climate change levy. The only realistic way of seeing discounts is to sub-meter a building or plant by individual areas of function. The additional shortfall in manual metering resources gives an intelligent automated telemetry solution such as the Telemodem2 Mobile a clear and distinct advantage.
EU Presidency website measurement - Speed-trap Limited, the e-business intelligence and management decision support solution expert, has announced that Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs has chosen Prophet, its client-side data collection and analysis solution, to enhancemonitoring and analysis of visits to its website www.eu2004.ie for the last 10 weeks of its Presidency of the European Union.
Commitment to FDA driven PAT initiative - Automsoft, the leading global provider of advanced database software to process industries today announced its support for the PAT (Process Analytical Technology) initiative, an FDA driven program that will work to understand and control the manufacturing environment across pharmaceutical production. Already a market leader in the Life Sciences market, Automsoft's support of PAT demonstrates once again its commitment to the development of software that responds to the changing requirements of the FDA regulated industries.
Integrated offerings built on latest innovations in hardware, operating systems,software and support services - Wonderware, part of Invensys has announced the release of its new product line of Wonderware Industrial Tablets and Touch Panel Computers. The new line of integrated hardware, software and services from Wonderware combines world-class hardware, powerful InTouch 8.0 human-machine interface (HMI) software, extensive plant communications capabilities and award-winning support services. These new offerings enable a consistent plant intelligence software solution across a broad spectrum of industrial applications.
Wonderware are represented in Ireland and Britain by Pantek
New range of high precision/high torque, direct-drive rotary positioning stages featuring low profile design will maximise production throughput - In response to manufacturing industry's demands for cost efficient production systems with increased accuracy, elevated duty cycle and faster throughput, Aerotech have developed a new range competitively priced, precision rotary positioning stages featuring direct drive, high torque, brushless servomotors with a low profile design that out-performs conventional worm/wheel tables and will minimise stack height related errors.
Dramatic bus move! - In a dramatic move signaling its dedication to the openness of the Modbus protocol, Schneider Electric has transferred its copyright in the protocol to Modbus-IDA, a nonprofit organization formed in 2002 to advance industrial communications.
More on this and other bus stories on our Fieldbus News pages.
NEMA motors - "the definitive source!" - Baldor, has released a new version of its stock product catalogue. Detailing thousands of UL- and CSA-approved NEMA frame motors in every industrial duty category including severe, washdown, premium efficiency and explosion proof, the 434-page '501' publication is the definitive guide for European automation and machinery exporters. Also included is a broad range of IEC motors rated from 0.18 to 40kW.

Major purchase by innovative secure controls company - Verano has purchased Computerized Processes Unlimited (CPU) LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of MS Benbow and Associates. Founded in 1985, CPU is a leading provider of application engineering services to Fortune 100 companies in mission-critical industries including energy, power and process manufacturing. CPU's team of engineers have extensive experience analyzing, configuring and managing new and legacy supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems in the chemical, oil and gas production, gas pipelines and distribution, marine ballasting and positioning, pulp and paper, biopharmaceutical, food and beverage and manufacturing industries. Their experience and knowledge enables them to recommend, implement, deploy, optimize, troubleshoot, enhance and effectively utilize Verano's RTAP real-time control platform. Some of CPU's customers include Amgen, ARCO, Cargill, Chevron/Texaco, Dow, IBM, International Paper, Shell and Siemens. "We are very excited about entering the system integration and application development business through our acquisition of CPU," said Brian Ahern, president and CEO of Verano (pictured at last year's Read-out Forum). "With the addition of CPU's RTAP expertise and knowledge, Verano customers benefit from the immediate availability of professional system design and development services, and from new Verano products designed with direct input from experienced RTAP application developers. The result is a superior product and service offering, strengthening Verano's position as a leading provider of secure control solutions to mission-critical industrial operations."

Significent upgrade - National Instruments has announced LabVIEW 7.1, a significant upgrade to the family of LabVIEW graphical development products. LabVIEW 7.1 extends Express technology to automated instrumentation and real-time applications with new Express VIs for NI modular instruments and NI-DAQmx, advanced debugging and low-level execution timing for the LabVIEW 7.1 Real-Time Module. "Last year, LabVIEW 7 Express introduced a revolutionary way to create test, measurement and control applications with configuration-based development and code-generation tools such as Express VIs and measurement assistants," said Ray Almgren, NI Vice President of Product Marketing.
"By extending Express technology to the broad spectrum of NI automated instrumentation, LabVIEW 7.1 simplifies development for all LabVIEW users, regardless of their hardware platforms."