 |
|
|
Details of awards received by the Signpost are here.
All contents copyright © 2005 Readout Publications
Measurement, Control and Automation Resources throughout the World
 |
| | | | |
News
Date of last update as at the top of the list (d/m/yy).
Press releases from your company may be sent to any of the addresses shown on our Contacts Page.
See Archive Page for earlier news.
30/9/2005
Automation for major expansion project for GE Healthcare in Norway - Emerson Process Management has once again been chosen by GE Healthcare as a working partner in a major new project to increase the production capacity at its Lindesnes plant in Norway. Faster time to market, easier validation, and operations excellence based on real-time diagnostics in smart field devices led to the selection of Emerson. Emerson is developing the solution and managing the project. The company is installing its PlantWeb digital plant architecture with the DeltaV digital automation system and Foundation Fieldbus digital communications technology for the major project. Value to Emerson is estimated at &euro:2.9M.Emerson's scope of supply includes project management, configuration and start-up. The PlantWeb digital approach will include Rosemount measurement instruments, Micro Motion Coriolis flowmeters, Rosemount Analytical instruments, and Fisher valves with Fieldvue digital valve controllers. The company's AMS Suite: Intelligent Device Manager will monitor diagnostics delivered by field devices, and provide alerts and guidance for maintenance effectiveness. Also included in the package are tailor-made solutions for removing 5000 I/O from the existing PLC systems and integrating these into the new scheme. The complete system will be a combination of the new and existing systems and will have a capacity of around 7500 I/O. Work commenced during the summer of 2004 with a planned completion date of February 2007.
Virtual platforms enable acceleration of software development and customer time-to-market - Virtio Corporation tells us that Texas Instruments (TI) has entered into a one-year agreement with them to leverage Virtio's Virtual Platform for several of TI’s solutions, including its OMAP platform for mobile devices. By using this platform to speed software development schedules, TI is enabling customers and third parties to more rapidly introduce new devices and applications into the marketplace based on their technology.
New economical heater block for COD testing - Water analysis specialist Palintest has introduced a new, high capability, multi-tube heater block.The block is ideal for chemical oxygen demand (COD) reactions and enables Palintest to offer economical COD test kits for use with its Tubetest system.These include heater block, test tube rack, photometer adaptor and micropipettor.
$52 million order for Rotterdam terminal automation - ABB, the power and automation technology group, has won a $52 million contract for automation and electrical systems to serve the new Euromax container terminal in Rotterdam (NL). It is ABB's largest single order to date for terminal automation equipment. They will supply automation and electrical systems for 76 terminal cranes, including 16 ship-to-shore units, 58 unmanned rail-mounted gantry cranes and two intermodal gantry units.
ABB support the Signpost with their advertisement on our Home page
ATEX-Approved AST 3IS can be used in hazardous areas without Zener barriers - Vishay Intertechnology, has announced the introduction of the Vishay Nobel AST3IS transmitter. The AST3IS is a high-performance isolation amplifier designed for use with strain-gage transducers in hazardous areas without the need for Zener barriers. This eases earthing design and installation, and reduces costs and maintenance for process weighing systems in applications such as chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Platfor now on HP servers with Intel Itanium 2! - Verano has announced that its leading Real-Time Application Platform (RTAP) is now available on HP Integrity servers featuring the Intel Itanium 2 processor. RTAP is a SCADA software solution that manages the operations of large, mission-critical industrial infrastructure, such as Enbridge Pipelines in Canada, RWE Thames Water in London, England and the Singapore Mass Rapid Transport. Their RTAP SCADA software is the first real-time management and monitoring software solution for industrial automation systems to become available on HP Integrity servers, a hardware platform specifically designed for high-availability, mission-critical computing applications.
Emte Sistemas recently evaluated a number of hardware and software combinations for automating and monitoring Barcelona Metro and determined Verano's RTAP software running on HP Integrity servers met its demands and is implementing this system to manage and integrate all electromechanical and communication systems (i.e., power, communications, platform doors, train variables, lifts and escalators) in the metro line.
Drive towards Quality Certification Ensures Demand for Calibration Services - In an attempt to improve their overall efficiency, European companies are starting to focus on their core competencies while outsourcing other activities to third-party vendors according to a study from Frost & Sullivan. One such activity being increasingly outsourced is calibration. While this is ensuring greater opportunities for vendors of calibration services, the ability to offer "total calibration management" is fast emerging a key competitive differentiator. In order to maximise revenues and market share, vendors will have to expand the scope of their services and develop capabilities to cater to maintenance, calibration management, asset tracking and, possibly, sourcing of used equipment. The report is available from: Magdalena Oberland
The latest on Ethernet - This revised best-seller (Industrial Ethernet 2nd Edition; Marshall & Rinaldi; ISA) is a convenient installation, troubleshooting, and reference tool on one of the hottest topics in automation and process control. It will help you understand important Ethernet and TCP/IP terminology and provide important information about the new industrial protocols. You will quickly gain a solid grasp of Ethernet basics, the constraints of the industrial environment, and the specialized requirements of machine control. Practical reference charts and technical tips make this book an ideal quick reference source at your project meetings and on the job. New topics covered in the book include signaling types, Web services, power over Ethernet, and an expanded focus on Ethernet protocols and addressing as well as wireless Ethernet. The last part of the book provides installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and security tips. After reading this book, you will be able to plan industrial Ethernet installations with realistic expectations, make knowledgeable purchasing decisions, and identify and prevent common causes of failure.
All the latest ISA Books
New markets the target for new recruit - Carlo Gavazzi is expanding its team to support its growing family of solid state relays with the addition of a new product manager. Stephen Townsend joins Carlo Gavazzi for the launch of its ThyRex SSR range (see below) and will oversee the launch of additional products later in the year. He comes from AG Electro-Optics where he held the position of product manager, prior to this he worked as a senior sales engineer at IFM Electronic.
Pluggable panel relays save space and streamline assembly - Carlo Gavazzi has introduced new pluggable solid state relays, allowing panels to be designed smaller and assembled faster and more cost-effectively. The plug-in system allows technical staff to pre-wire the cable harness outside the panel, reducing the time and skill necessary to complete the final panel assembly accurately.
Dual measurement bench multimeter can be rack mounted - TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments) has redesigned the model 1705 multimeter to utilise the company's new 2U high bench-top case for which an optional rack-mount kit is available. The instrument is fitted with an RS232 interface as standard, and can also be specified with a GPIB (IEEE-488) interface. It is a 4 1/4-digit meter with a scale length of 12,000 counts and a resolution of 10 µV, 10 microhm and 0.1 µA. Combined with a high basic DC voltage accuracy of 0.04%, it provides measurements that are an order of magnitude better than those of most hand-held DMMs.
Wireless networking leaders apoint new marketing VP - MaxStream, a leader in wireless device networking, has selected Damon Darais to serve as the Vice President of Marketing. Darais was the Vice President of Marketing and Business Operations for a large Salt Lake City medical clinic. Prior to that, he held various marketing and product management positions with such IT giants as Citrix Systems, Novell and WordPerfect. Darais holds a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering technology from Brigham Young University.
Environmentally friendly products policy - National Instruments has announced its plan to release environmentally friendly products as part of the NI Hazardous Substances Reduction initiative. This initiative is a voluntary program modeled after the European Union Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, which restricts the use of harmful substances such as lead, mercury and cadmium in new equipment.
NI already has RoHS-compliant versions of its GPIB interface chips available and plans to release RoHS-compliant versions of other leading products starting in Q1 2006. With the new products, engineers and scientists can build systems that meet anticipated future environmental requirements.
The European Union RoHS directive restricts the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in new electrical and electronic equipment put on the market in the European Union after July 1, 2006. The RoHS directive applies to eight categories of electrical and electronic equipment but excludes products in Category 9, Monitoring and Control Instruments, under which NI products fall.
Papers please! - The Analysis Division of ISA is seeking papers and other materials to be considered for presentation at the 51st Annual Analysis Division Symposium. This event will be held in Anaheim (US) on 2-6 April 2006. The deadline for submitting abstracts for presentation considerations is 1 November. The theme for our Symposium this year is,"Setting the Standard for Process and Environmental Analytical Solutions."
More Information here
Help for employees caught in natural disasters - Many companies have been effected by the natural disasters that have befallen the world this year the most recent being the hurricanes in the Gulf States of the US and typhoons in China. One of these companies is Verano - provider of Security and SCADA Solutions for Mission Critical Industries - which has a service operation in Meterie, a suburb of New Orleans. Verano is committed to the well-being of all our employees and are committed to assisting those affected in re-establishing their livelihood. As means of assisting our affected employees Verano has established a non-profit corporation whose sole purpose is to provide disaster aid to Verano employees and their families.
More details available from Verano at 575 West Street, Suite 120, Mansfield, MA 02048, USA
New high-tech systems design and assembly facility in Britain - Asco Joucomatic is meeting to growing market demands for more high-tech pre-assembled automation systems and control cabinets by opening a custom design and assembly facility near Wolverhampton. Catering for designers and engineers in markets ranging from petrochemicals to emergency security systems, the new unit is strategically placed close to the motorway network in the English Midlands, improving product delivery times and reducing costs.
Industrial RS-232/RS485 Devices Can Be Networked - The new serial device server FL COM Server RS485 from Phoenix Contact complements the existing product for RS232 and both are the most powerful and universal COM Servers on the market. They enable the simple integration of RS-232/485 based terminal devices in 10/100 BASE-T(X) networks and allow devices not previously networkable to be connected to the Ethernet. The COM SERVER allows RS-232/RS485 devices to be connected to Ethernet and point-to-point and multipoint device connections to be achieved over existing Ethernet infrastructure. Among many applications they allow the use of standard modems in dial up Ethernet applications.
Service for wind turbine manufacturers - Strain gauges from StrainSense are suitable for static and dynamic measurements. The RSE range of strain gauges is highly suited to the wind turbine industry being fully wired and encapsulated to ensure quick installation of a strain-measuring element perfect for these conditions.
Complete solution for machinery vibration monitoring - The new Allen-Bradley XM-720 Machine Vibration Monitor from Rockwell Automation delivers cost-effective monitoring and protection of critical plant-floor assets, while providing manufacturers with a scalable solution that can be integrated easily into a plant's control and information system. Designed for machinery requiring continuous online monitoring - such as motors, fans, pumps and blowers - this monitor is the latest addition to the Allen-Bradley XM Series.
Dual channel gigabit ethernet PMC adaptor - Concurrent Technologies announces the latest addition to their range of networking PMC mezzanine cards - the CL PMC/GB3, a two channel Gigabit Ethernet adaptor with 1000Base-T and 10Base-T/100Base-Tx capabilities. The adaptor's +5V power usage is typically 5 Watts with dual Gigabit operation and it is targeted at applications that require high data throughput and low latency.
Certified architect - National Instruments UK & Ireland today announced that James Peter, Technical Director of TBG Solutions, a National Instruments Alliance Partner, has become the first engineer in the UK and Ireland to achieve Certified LabVIEW Architect status. This is the highest level of LabVIEW certification available.
NI Certification is a professional qualification that validates technical growth and skill in using NI products. "This Certification will certainly provide TBG with a competitive edge in their market" said Rebecca Sherwood, Customer Education Manager at National Instruments. "The achievement also emphasises the commitment TBG Solutions has shown in working with NI to develop their LabVIEW programming skills to a high level."
New electroemulation tester - Schaffner has introduced the new W629 ElectroEmulation tester. The W629 offers Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’S) efficient strategies for testing finished products and partial assemblies during the manufacturing process. Functions available include open and short-circuit tests, insulation tests up to 500 Vdc and passive component tests with an integrated RLC measuring bridge (from DC to 100 kHz AC, programmable).
A fieldbus first in Ireland - The first ProfiBus diagnostics course in Ireland was held on 13& 14 Sept 2005 in Drogheda (IRL). This course is offered by ProfiBus Ireland through its Competency Centre, in Limerick. This is a two day course aimed at maintenance and operations personnel and bridges the gap between the ProfiBus Certified Installers Course and ProfiBus Certified Engineers course.
Sensors and systems on your doorstep! - Trident's successful series of regional Instrumentation exhibitions opens its doors for the first time in the Southern part of Britain on 5th & 6th October at the Madejski Stadium, Reading. Following the success of Instrumentation North and Instrumentation Scotland and Offshore Systems, Instrumentation South is to offer companies involved in test measurement, data acquisition and control the chance to meet and do business in an informal environment within their own region.
Renting in Europe - Electro Rent Corporation with operations in North America and China is establishing a wholly owned operation better to serve customers in the European market. ER Europe will commence operations in the next few days and will have access to the resources of Electro Rent Corporation, one of North America's largest T&M and computer rental companies. As part of its plans, ER has acquired the operations of Everest ES, a Belgium equipment rental, sales and leasing business which has been operating in an alliance with Electro Rent for several years. David Saeys, the owner of Everest, becomes the General Manager of ER Europe.
They will be exhibiting at European Microwave Week Conference in Paris 4th -6th October 2005.
Counting traffic in the wilds of Wales - Thanks to the engineering expertise at Jekyll Electronic Technology, a new version of its Telemodem2 telemetry system is helping ERH Communications count traffic in Wales. Not all modems are suitable for the outdoor environment where they are exposed to changing environmental conditions. Adapting the Telemodem2 to operate under such circumstances required the unit to be more robust in its overall design. As a result, Jekyll has launched a weatherproof version of its Telemodem2 range. This has benefited ERH by reducing the number of field failures, due to moisture ingress and corrosion and this improved design increases product reliability and data integrity.
ERH Communications provides regional maintenance for all the communications and signalling equipment in Wales under contract for the Welsh Assembly. Wales (Cymru) is the country west of England between Bristol and Liverpool jutting out into the Irish Sea and which in Irish is called An Bhreatain Bheag - Little Britain!
Fibre-optic connectors for harsh environments - The new SC Module from Harting adds fibre-optic capability to the company's established Han 3A range of rugged, compact connector hoods and housings, providing a cost-effective method of connecting optical fibres in a harsh industrial environment
Explosion proof switch - Industrial safety specialist Fortress Interlocks has introduced an ATEX Certified explosion proof safety gate switch. Designed to control access to machinery and process lines operating in potentially explosive environments, it is also ingress protected to IP67.The switch is suitable for use in zone 1 and 2 environments such as those found in the chemical and petrochemical, paint, pharmaceutical, flour, powders and mining industries.
First European successful deployment of ZigBEE-ready wirelesss network in Irish plant - Cratlon, the wireless sensor semiconductor company, and Betatherm, a leading provider of high precision NTC thermistors and temperature probe assemblies, today announced the successful deployment of 
Cratlon's wireless sensor network at Betatherm's manufacturing plant in Galway (about twenty miles west of Read-out's office!). This is believed to be the first successful European deployment of the emergent IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee wireless protocol in a monitoring system. The results of the deployment will be outlined in a paper at the Radio Solutions Conference in Sophia Antipolis near Nice (F), on October 12. The wireless sensor network measures temperature, light and humidity at several locations around the manufacturing plant and performs wireless data transmission at regular intervals to a PC server in Betatherm's administrative office block over one hundred metres away. The measurement modules are powered by long-life batteries with a projected operational life of up to ten years.
ZigBee is a wireless protocol based on the IEEE's 802.15.4 standard for low-power wireless remote monitoring and control. 802.15.4 is the only wireless standard specifically designed for long-life battery operation (up to 10 years), low cost and flexibility of deployment. It operates in the license-free 868-through-928 MHz ISM bands (Europe/US) or 2.4 GHz ISM band available worldwide.
Robert Redford's building wins award! - The new Robert Redford Building in Santa Monica, CA (US), is a showcase for energy technology applications. It has now received the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum rating, the highest available, from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Contemporary Controls'’ Ethernet switch is integral to the building’s capacity to communicate energy and environmental control information. The building employs their miniature switching hub, the EISM5-100T. ASW Engineering Management Consultants of Tustin, CA, were engaged to manage the project, and ASW’s Senior Project Engineer Dennis Rowan said, "The tiny switch, measuring only 3" x 3", accommodated our space limitations and enhanced our compact panel design. It was easy to install with DIN-rail mounts. No Velcro, duct tape, or custom shelves."
New imaging modules let users analyse sample areas with pinpoint accuracy - Ocean Optics has introduced two add-on imaging modules for its LIBS2000+ Laser-induced Breakdown Spectrometer (LIBS) system. The imaging modules enable users to magnify a sample image and establish a precise laser target.The LIBS system is capable of analysing practically every known element in gas, liquid or solid samples in real-time and has a wide variety of industrial and scientific applications.
New enhancements to portable OTDR instrument - Yokogawa has introduced two new plug-in measurement modules as well as emulation software for its AQ7260 optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR). The AQ7269 offers both single-mode fibre (SMF) and multi-mode fibre (MMF) measurement capability in one unit, while the AQ7265 offers SMF measurements with high dynamic range. The AQ7269 is ideally suited to meet the needs of fibre installers in the growing Metro, WAN, LAN, and FTTH markets, while the AQ7265 is designed for fibre-optic measurements in long-haul networks
"Setting the Standard for Automation" - Attendees at this year's ISA EXPO can expect to see a new look for all of ISA's marketing materials, a fresh approach to InTech, an increased focus on certification programs, a new resource to define the automation profession, a conference program focused on critical industry issues, and much more.
ISA EXPO 2005 attendance projections are the highest in years - numbers are almost 50% higher than they were at this time in 2004, and many attendees and exhibitors are traveling from other countries to attend the event. The Read-out Instrumentation signpost will also be sending a representative to report back on this the the most important of North American automation events.
Free seminar - ABB Daresbury (GB) hosts a free ProfiBus seminar November 4. This seminar addresses the key issues surrounding the use of the latest digital fieldbus communications technologies in process and hybrid industries. Based on the actual use of ProfiBus DP and PA in key application areas such as water & wastewater, chemicals, pharmaceutical, food & beverage today, the seminar will show why ProfiBus is the logical choice, bringing benefits such as lower cost of ownership, greater plant safety and reliability, greater choice to deploy "best of breed" and "best of class" solutions from the world's leading automation system, software and specialist component suppliers. More information
Weblog for RF and telecom test industry - Keithley Instruments has co-developed and sponsored the first Weblog, or Blog, designed exclusively for engineers interested in RF and wireless test. The RF Test Weblog keepsvisitors abreast of the latest news in the RF and telecom industries throughfrequent posts of technical and business developments. The Weblog is coordinated by Microwaves & RF magazine and can be accessed through the website.
More discusion groupds may be found on our Discussion Groups Page
New research center to develop wireless microsystems and system-in-foil technologies - The Belgian R&D institute IMEC and neighboring Dutch TNO have announced the creation of The Holst Centre, a new research center that will develop future generations of wireless autonomous transducer solutions and systems-in-foil. Within the center, IMEC (Flanders, Belgium) and TNO (The Netherlands) join forces. Philips, a leading player in the field of polymer electronics and microsystems, has committed to become the first industrial partner.
New range of 1/8" solenoid valves - ASCO/Joucomatic has announced a new range of solenoid valves. The ASCO 256/356 Series valves are robust, reliable and easy to maintain, direct operated 1/8" valves, suitable for a wide range of fluids and a variety of applications. With brass or stainless steel bodies, the new 256/356 Series are ideal for demanding applications that require fast operation and frequent use. These low cost, European designed valves are available in 2/2 NC/NO and 3/2 NC/NO/U configurations and offer a long service life in excess of 20 million operations, with minimal maintenance required.
Premier solution providors - GE Fanuc today announced that CH2M HILL IDC and Flexware Innovation have joined its Premier Solution Provider program. This designation is offered only to industry-leading systems integrators who have proven capabilities with GE Fanuc products and solutions and meet technical, operational and quality evaluations.
Smart labels deter damage in transit - Although not strictly instrumentation we thought this might interest readers. A collection of smart packaging labels can now save companies time and money by providing a cost-effective damage deterrent when shipping goods. The ShockWatch labels from Lamerholm Electronics are self-adhesive, highly visible labels, that when attached to goods indicate when a product has been exposed to impact, tilt, temperature or humidity extremes.
Efficiency, cost reductions asnd improved results from constant current density controller - Drake Power Systems have teamed up with Farnborough based Powerstax plc to provide a simple and effective way to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve process results with the POWERSAVE constant current density controller for transformers and rectifiers. The Powersave is ideal for thyristor-controlled rectifiers or transformer/rectifiers with motorised output control used in plating and electrophoretic painting processes.
New extra large sample chamber available - Horiba Jobin Yvon is now offering an extra large sample chamber to complement the existing configurations of the XGT-5000 X-ray fluorescence microscope, selected by R&D Magazine's 100 Award as "one of the most technologically significant products introduced into the market place".
Infra red interferometer on show - Precision-Optical Engineering (P-OE) will be showing the InterFire II 3-5 interferometer at the Photonex Exhibition (5 - 6/10/2005 in Coventry GB). On show on Stand C26 (Armstrong Optical Ltd), this unit is part of the InterFire II family of infrared interferometers and is used to monitor the quality of optical components and systems in the 3-5 micron region of the spectrum. Other instruments in the range operate at 10.6 micron, 9.2 - 10.7 microns tunable, 1.55 microns and 850 nm.
Solution eliminates manual entry of meter calibration data - Flow Technology, Inc. (FTI), manufacturer of precision flow measurement instruments, systems and calibrators, has just announced the release of the VisualLink flowmeter programming software. Designed for turbine flowmeters employing FTI's
high-performance LinearLink and LinearLink Temperature Compensated Interface (TCI), the new software simplifies flowmeter programming and eliminates the need for manual calibration data entry.
World's most sensitive fluorescence lifetimes now even more affordable - Time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC), the most sensitive technique for obtaining fluorescence lifetimes, is now available on the FluoroMax-3 from Horiba Jobin Yvon. Building on the experience of IBH, a pioneer of this most sophisticated method, TCSPC, as well as steady state measurements come together in a compact, easy-to-use package that takes advantage of the fast performance of NanoLED diode sources. Excitation wavelengths from 280 nm, 295 nm (patent pending) for proteins, and other sources in the UV through visible to Near IR, let the user tailor the instrument for the latest in fluorescence measurements, whether you're doing TRES, anisotropy, multiple lifetimes, or any other dynamic technique.
New distributor for Nevada - GE Fanuc Automation has named AIC as its authorized local distributor for the state of Nevada. AIC has been serving the state for more than 27 years, and now, as an authorized distributor, is providing significantly enhanced localized services and support, including inventory, training, sales representation, and in-depth technical assistance.
Expansion of EU facilitates greater market opportunities for positive displacement pumps - The European positive displacement pumps market is being increasingly influenced by the growth of east European economies and the imminent accession of eastern European countries into the European Union (EU) is expected to reinforce confidence and bolster demand. Key end user segments such as the food and beverage, pharmaceutical and water and wastewater industries are also undergoing significant expansions, thereby ensuring healthy growth across most product segments. This is a finding of a study by Frost and Sullivan just issued.
 THEY SAID IT "Further decline in the independent safety system market will be very slow until 'those people' either retire or leave the business." "You might consider leaving it close at hand near your toilet." "While Siemens and
SAP offer complete solutions in their respective domains, the integration of these domains has turned into something of a demilitarized zone . . ." "Our engineers know the ICS Triplex products well and will now be able to offer the full range of ICS Triplex services . . . " "Process Systems has a great momentum." Don't miss this incisive commentary on automation every month! |
High-performance IVI driver for precision DC power supplies - A new National Instruments IVI driver has been introduced by TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments) to support the high-performance precision programmable QL-P Series of DC power supplies
New professional reporting solution - Axeda Systems, leading provider of Device Relationship Management (DRM) and supervisory, control and data acquisition (SCADA) software and services, has announced the launch of Axeda WizReport XL 6.0 Professional. This new software is a complementary reporting product for the Axeda Supervisor software suite, which includes the renowned Wizcon SCADA/HMI software and other tools to automate processes such as those found in industry, buildings, water treatment sites and power generation facilities.
WizReport XL was recently nominated for the Léonards 2005 Innovation Awards, the winners of which will be officially announced on September 27 by an independent jury of key journalists, academics and industrialists, at the prestigious Automation-Optimation expo in Paris.
Control and Monitoring Solution with High Availability - Developed by combining a redundant industrial PC with a panel PC, the PPC 5515 system from Phoenix Contact is the solution for soft PLC applications requiring high availability and flexibility. The operating system and application are passed on within the multiple hard drive system or organized redundantly via a separate RAID Controller. If the main hard drive fails, the second hard drive takes over, without the machine or system having to be stopped. The disk drives are housed in an industrial removable rack and can be exchanged quickly.
Huge headstock glides with grace and safety - Cumberland Europe has succeeded in making a 2.5 tonne piece of industrial
machinery glide like a ballerina across the stage, by using precision guide rails from Hoerbiger-Origa. Cumberland Europe Ltd is an OEM based specialising in building granulators for reclaiming waste plastic, as well as other related equipment, for plastic processing companies. It is a subsidiary company of the leading US ancillary equipment producer ACS (AEC-Cumberland-Sterling) Group.
M2M Remote Managed Services enabled in Benelux and Scandinavia regions - Comtech Holdings, leading Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Solution Enabler and PTC Remote Management & Service PTC RM&S, a Value Added Reseller (VAR) today announce a cooperation agreement. Together, the companies offer remote managed service solutions in the Benelux and Scandinavian regions for M2M telemetry applications.
PTC RM&S are a "one stop shop" delivering complete solutions to industrial end users by monitoring, controlling and managing their remote machines and assets through a managed services approach. Comtech provide the "M2M within" the application (end-to-end communication infrastructure) through their µWEAVE "out of the box" M2M telemetry system.
Communication instruments on show - On show at Instrumentation South 2005 ( 5-6/10/2005: Reading, GB) will be examples of Smar's leading HART, Foundation Fieldbus and ProfiBus instrumentation and control systems. For example their density transmitter, the DT is the worlds highest accuracy two wire density transmitter for use in tanks and pipes. Along side it will be examples of their range of fieldbus control systems providing a complete range from simple starter sets to complete enterprise automation solutions.
Industry's first PMBus-compliant digitally programmable DC-DC converter - Artesyn Technologies has announced its first digital point-of-load (POL) converter at the Digital Power Forum '05 in Boston, Massachusetts (US). The DPL20C is a non-isolated POL converter in the new family of PMBus-compliant DC/DC converters. Sampling of the product along with evaluation boards to the first Beta customers has now begun; general availability and production will commence upon completion of Beta trials, expected within the next 45 days.
New source for process instrumentation users in northern France - A new distribution company has been formed to handle sales and support for Parker Instrumentation products in Northern France. The Parker product brand is widely preferred by many of the world's foremost processing organisations, and the new company - RTI Paris - will sell and support Parker's manifold, valve and tube fitting product lines for industrial and analytical fluid instrumentation applications.
Supports for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief - Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced that it is making a 10 million yen contribution to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast of the United States. This donation is being made through the Japan Red Cross to the American Red Cross.
Global vendor agreement conferred - Following a number of reciprocal visits to Japan and Britain, BEKA have announced the conferring of a Global Preferred Vendor Agreement for their comprehensive range of Fieldbus displays. Their intrinsically safe and Type n (zone 2) 4/20mA loop-powered indicators will also gain preferential consideration for the many large international projects for which Yokogawa are currently enjoying significant success. Fieldbus solutions are being increasingly favoured for green-field projects and large plant revamps, mainly due to the proven cost savings available during installation and commissioning.
New loop detector provides reliable secure vehicle entry - Carlo Gavazzi is introducing a new family of loop detectors aimed at vehicle detection for secure access systems. The new LDP loop detectors offer inexpensive, flexible and simple set-up of vehicle detection sensors to safeguard automatic doors, shutters, swing gates, barriers and fences
Automation & Process industries affected by Katrina hurricane - The latest issue of Jim Pinto's eletter - Connections for Growth & Success gives a short impression of the industrial aftermath of the destruction caused by the hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
New switcher - Intergface Prodducts" have introduced 4/8 port RS485 to RS232 Switcher which can convert selected RS485 signals in Rs232 . By using this switch one can collect data from 4 PLC / 8 PLC to one PC according to requirements.
"Good Tuning: A Pocket Guide" - This portable summary of all the practical considerations for tuning loops has been written specifically for practicing instrument, process control, and process engineers by Gregory K. McMillan and recently released by ISA . It includes step-by-step descriptions of the three best field-proven tuning procedures, a table of typical tuning settings, a summary of valve performance problems, logic diagrams for troubleshooting, and over 70 useful "rules of thumb."
Line of industrial touch panel computers expands - Wonderware, has announced a new and expanded hardware platform design for its industrial touch panel computers. The Series B Touch Panel Computers, which come bundled with Wonderware's InTouch HMI (human-machine interface) software, now offer a larger variety of screen sizes and feature a reduction of the number of moving parts for enhanced reliability. Wonderware's Touch Panel Computers are designed to replace proprietary operator interface panels. The computers incorporate a fan-less hardware design that is smaller in size and has been enhanced for faster performance. The hardware also has been industrialised to operate in harsher conditions. With greater video bandwidth and larger memory capacities, these bundled touch panel computers are optimised for excellent HMI performance and visualisation, and are designed to support industry standards-based, ArchestrA technology.Wonderware, part of Invensys is represented in Ireland and Britaion by Pantek.
Low cost data acquisition boards deliver simultaneous-sampling rates up to 3 MS/s on desktop computers - National Instruments has announced four new simultaneous-sampling S Series data acquisition (DAQ) devices for the PCI bus, raising the performance of PC-based instrumentation with simultaneous-sampling rates up to 3 MS/s. The NI PCI-6133, NI PCI-6132, NI PCI-6123 and NI PCI-6122 boards offer high-density, low-cost options ideal for general-purpose data acquisition and automated test, ultrasonics, ballistics, acoustics, high-energy physics and radar applications.
Need an easy low cost way of recording data? - Now available from sensing and Instrumentation specialists Vydas International Marketing is free data acquisition software to complement the Kosmos range of digital panel meters. This allows a simple low cost recording system to be configured combining an appropriate signal/sensor for the application and a digital panel meter.
Register and win a Dell! - As part of Ireland's innovative and forward thinking manufacturing sector, you cannot afford to miss IRCHEM 2005 where you will see all the latest ground breaking technical advances for the Pharmachem, Biotech, and Processing Industries together with live demonstrations and a comprehensive FREE Seminar programme. This event is a must for engineers, scientists, technicians, managers and buyers, or anyone interested in equipment and processing, environment, biotechnology, research, training, maintenance, IT and quality assurance. We invite you to pre-register now with a chance to win a Dell Laptop.
Unipolar switch family offers high performance and new packaging options including lead-free plating - Allegro MicroSystems Europe has introduced a new family of unipolar Hall-effect switches which not only offer improved performance compared with earlier devices but also to offer a wider variety of packaging options including a version with lead (Pb) free plating.
Loop Checking: A Technician's Guide - ISA recently announced the release of "Loop Checking: A Technician's Guide" by Harley M. Jeffery. This technician's guide defines loop checking in the broader scheme of control loop performance in addition to the more traditional terms of the plant startup. In today's competitive markets, manufacturers are striving to continually improve performance and meet business needs and goals.
Automation platform leads the way for simplified integration of machine and motion control systems - By combining all of the major machine and motion control functions into a single, software based solution that runs on a standard PC and by providing an open architecture for specialised "bolt-on" modules, Aerotech's A3200 Automation Platform represents a breakthrough in machine control technology that encompasses both a seamless and a scalable automation system. System Integrators and OEM's using hardware based automation solutions typically need to integrate a combination of PLC, HMI and motion control modules from different suppliers and combine them with motorised positioning tables or gantries, mechanical actuators and often pneumatic or hydraulic control systems. More complex machines might also involve vision systems for automated parts inspection or position measurement and even the simplest machines would involve specialist modules for such diverse requirements as temperature or pressure sensing, high speed position sensors, tension control units and a whole host of other process monitoring functions. Whilst this is the most common approach to automated machine control, the use of several different hardware and software systems can be difficult, time consuming and expensive to build, often resulting in numerous sources of error and limitations in overall system performance.
New infrared thermometer offers enhanced remote monitoring and video recording - Raytek has introduced the Marathon MM Series Infrared (IR) Thermometer. The first high-performance IR sensor platform of its kind, the Marathon MM provides enhanced continuous remote temperature monitoring, video surveillance and documentation capabilities for a wide range of industrial process applications.
North American alignment - The North American Components (NAC) division of Arrow Electronics has announced it has signed a distribution agreement with MaxStream a leading wireless device networking solution provider. Under the terms of the agreement, Arrow will sell MaxStream's full range of RF modems and modules throughout North America.
Connector carrier element snaps onto DIN rail - Harting has added a new connector carrier element which snaps directly onto a DIN rail to speed the installation of rectangular industrial connectors into control boxes and switch cabinets.
Cost effective circuit breaker - Simplifying component procurement allows OEM's and panel builders to make real economies. The launch of a cost-effective new version of its popular 140U circuit breaker gives Rockwell Automation customers access to high quality, yet competitively priced CE-rated MCCB's. Flexible and versatile, the new 140UE is the ideal choice for switchgear applications; perfectly complementing the many other components available in the Allen-Bradley Modular Control System (MCS) Plus range.
Clamp versatility extended - Parker Instrumentation has extended the versatility of its novel one-piece clamp for instrumentation tubing, Snap-Trap, with a new fitting tool and accessories. Snap-Trap clamps can be fitted in seconds, reducing installation time by up to 80% compared with some alternative systems which require the assembly of up to 12 parts. Already widely used in the Norwegian sector, the clamps are highly resistant to corrosion and comply with the NORSOK offshore standard. Just two sizes of Snap-Trap handle the spectrum of metric and imperial instrumentation tubing diameters up to 25mm/1inch, avoiding the specification, purchasing, stocking and day-to-day handling overheads associated with existing systems - which can require anything up to 24 parts to provide the same solution.
EMEA regional sales manager appointed - Artesyn Technologies has announced the appointment of Robert Sobinger as EMEA Regional Sales Manager for the company's Power Conversion division. He will assume immediate responsibility for sales of all standard power conversion products in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Mr. Sobinger has a solid background in electronics, including more than 13 years' experience of the power conversion industry. Immediately prior to joining Artesyn he was Director of Sales for the specialist German electronics distributor, Fortec Elektronik AG, whose key product lines include Astec ac-dc power supplies and dc-dc converters. Sobinger has also worked for Astec directly, holding various senior management positions in engineering and sales support during his 9-year tenure with the company.
North Sea platform to be refurbished with integrated control and safety system - Yokogawa has been awarded a contract by BP Exploration for the design, engineering, supply and installation of a new integrated control and safety system for the Bruce platform in the North Sea. Under the Bruce Controls Improvement Project, Yokogawa will provide an integrated solution based on its well proven fifth-generation Centum CS3000 control system combined with the ProSafe-RS safety system to replace the existing obsolete control and safety equipment. Centum CS3000 offers a truly robust integrated plant solution. It employs a deterministic data highway with predictable performance under all plant conditions. The performance of the processors, data highway, I/O modules and subsystems can be calculated, early in the project, and verified prior to implementation.
The project will replace the existing control and monitoring system, the emergency shutdown system and the fire & gas system along with the human-machine interface system.
Interactive motors and drive catalogue - Motor and drive selection is made easy with the latest version of Baldor's interactive CD-ROM product catalogue - version 10. Detailing some 7,000 NEMA and IEC motors, drives and generators, the catalogue includes performance and test data, dimension drawings, nameplate information, replacement parts and accessories. A powerful interactive search function helps users to find products with only limited information. Also included is the BE$T Energy Savings Tool, a program that calculates an existing motor's annual electricity usage based on its nominal efficiency, versus the annual electricity usage of a standard or premium efficiency Baldor motor. The software will also calculate savings for a variable speed drive.
In-line check valves prevent unintended liquid back-flow - Bio-Chem Valve has developed non-metallic, self-sealing in-line check valves for handling low volume, low flow transfers. They prevent unintended liquid back-flow in high purity, low pressure fluid transfer applications and feature an even flow path that reduces passage complications. The zero-maintenance valves are available in an inlet or outlet configuration and applications include syringe pump systems, vacuum systems and other low-flow processes. Unlike a spring-actuated check valve that can impede or restrict the flow path, the Bio-Chek in-line check valves’ flow paths are less tortuous and minimise shear and turbulence.
The inert Bio-Chek in-line check valves are available throughout Europe from Omnifit.
New server provides ultimate connectivity and ease of use - Wonderware has announced the release of a new version of its ABCIP DA Server. As an advanced multi-protocol device integration server, ABCIP DA Server 3.0 provides configurable read-and-write access from all Wonderware software packages that require real-time plant-floor data to Allen-Bradley programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and control devices. The new server enables users to expand their existing control systems to incorporate more advanced supervisory HMI (human-machine interface) or production and performance management functions with minimal impact to existing operations. Version 3.0 extends the ability to connect to ControlLogix and other Logix-family PLCs by fully utilizing Allen-Bradley's ControlLogix gateway functionality.
Wonderware products are marketed in Britain and Ireland by Pantek
high performance, two-channel PC Oscilloscope - Pico Technology has announced the latest addition to its range of PC Oscilloscopes; the PicoScope 3224. The high performance, two-channel PC Oscilloscope features a 12-bit resolution and is powered and connected via USB 2.0. Please find enclosed our press release and image for your perusal. If you require any further information or would like to receive future press releases in an alternative format such as email or on CD please do not hesitate to contact me.
New wireless switching modules - Low Power Radio Solutions, the UK’s leading wireless systems specialist, announces the introduction of the CDT-TX-01 transmitter and CDT-RX-01 receiver modules specially designed for applications requiring wireless transmission of switching signals. These new high reliability modules include 6 independent switch signal input and output processing circuits. This allows switching signals to be transmitted and received and the direct operation of external actuating components, contactors, relays etc. without the need for any additional circuitry. To ensure safe and reliable operation, each CDT module has a unique 32-bit ID and the receiver works only with signals from transmitters with a registered ID. A total of up to 100 transmitter IDs can be registered in the receiver.
Anglo-Indian joint venture - Briotish - based Land Instruments International - one of the world's leading non contact temperature measurement and thermal imaging specialists has announced the realignment of its business alliance with Eurotherm DEL India Ltd., part of the UniDEL Group, with the formation of Land DEL Infrared Pvt Ltd, a joint venture company. The new operation will provide complete sales, service and support for the entire range of Land infrared temperature, thermal and process imaging products to customers in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Optical power meter supports all current and next-generation optical disk standards - The new Yokogawa TB200 is the world's first optical power meter to support blue, red and near-infrared measurements, allowing a single unit to be used for measurements on CDs, DVDs and next-generation optical disks such as Blu-ray and HD DVD and related developments. Devices such as next-generation optical disk recorders that use blue lasers (with a shorter wavelength than the red laser for DVDs) are already on the market, and optical disks of this type are now becoming widespread. Since laser power is used to read and write to these optical disks, it is important to be able to measure the laser power magnitude during the optical disk development and production processes.
Industrial Ethernet media converter -= Westermo Data Communications, leading supplier of industrial Ethernet products, has announced the release of new compact industrial Ethernet FX/TX media converter that has the ability to report and pass forward linking faults.
New premises to enable global expansion - Expansion plans have been put in train at high technology torque measuring
company Sensor Technology, with a move to additional premises for the operational staff and several other initiatives to prepare the company for a period of sustained growth.
The new building is at Heyford Park near Oxford in England and houses production, sales and marketing, admin and management. There is also space available for the customer/project development team to move in in the foreseeable future, although for now they remain at the original headquarters, a converted water mill in the nearby Cotswolds.
Outstanding contributions in the field of electrical measurement recognised - The IEEE has named Dr. Clark A. Hamilton as the recipient of the 2005 IEEE Joseph F. Keithley Award in Instrumentation and Measurement. Hamilton, President and CEO of VMetrix, LLC, in Boulder, Colorado (US), is being recognized for making the DC Josephson junction array voltage standard a practical reality. His work has revolutionised the field of voltage calibration by bringing faster and more accurate voltage standard systems into the labs of end users.
Surge-protection modules for busbar mounting - A new range of surge-protection modules designed for direct mounting on
busbars in industrial environments has been introduced by Dehn. The new DEHNguard BBA 60 family of devices can be directly mounted onto 60 mm busbars without the need for special tools. These surge protectors feature dual monitoring with thermo-dynamic control plus back-up fuses, and are available with a floating changeover contact if remote signalling is required.
Implementation of new enhanced EDDL expected to revolutionize process automation industry - Implementation of recently completed enhancements to the Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL, IEC 61804-2) by system and device suppliers is expected to revolutionize the process automation industry. The enhancements make standardized device configuration a reality allowing users to easily visualize and configure millions of installed HART-enabled intelligent devices. More on this and other fieldbus news on our Fieldbus News Page
Jim Pinto on the ball.... "The latest issue of Jim Pinto's enewsletter says "I'm happy to let you know that ISA President, Don Zee and Secretary (next year's President elect) Ken Baker, met with Dick Morley this week at Dick's barn in New Hampshire, to see how ISA could get Dick involved with ISA. While no major changes were discussed, several significant strategic and tactical shifts were outlined." Dick Morley, "Father of the PLC", is acclaimed for his lateral-thinking abilities, his "outside the box" ideas and solutions, his ability to solve problems directly and simply. He has a gift to cut through all the BS and get to the heart of things: Where are we now? Where do we wish to go? How best to get there?
Long-term help for tsunami victims - As we are all shocked by the disater unfolding in fron of our eyes in New Orleans and the Gulf States of the US here is a good news story from a region which suffered also at tyhe hands of nature. Endress+Hauser, the worldwide process control and automation company, is helping victims of the tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka by financing the reconstruction of a village in the south of the country. The project directly benefits the affected people, both during and after construction. An estate of 14 residences, two shops, a playground and a community pavilion is currently under construction in Pitiduwas, a village near Talpe (Province of Galle) on Sri Lanka's southern coast. Endress+Hauser will bear the construction costs of almost 100,000 US dollars (€83,000). For Klaus Endress, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group, this is "the expression of our social responsibility as a company".
So good they're nominated twice! - Curvaceous Software's Geometric Process Control (GPC) technology has been shortlisted for the IEE Manufacturing Award 2005. The award is for Innovation in Engineering. This is a very positive sign for Curvaceous who are already short listed for the IChemE Innovation Awards and were finalists in the Carbon Trust Innovation Awards earlier this year.
First-ever six-slot PXI chassis for low-cost remote control applications - Engineers can now use the first-ever National Instruments six-slot PXI chassis for low-cost remote control and portable real-time control. For remote control, a PC, server or workstation controls the PXI chassis through MXI-Express, a transparent PCI Express-to-PCI bridge. Engineers also can use MXI-4 for traditional remote control of PXI.
Free 'Safety in Automation' book published - A 75-page booklet on functional safety in automation systems has just been published by the global AS-Interface organisation. It's available free from the AS-interface UK Expert Alliance, an industry group supporting the use of AS-interface technology in Britain.
|
Our Advertisers! 
 
 
 
|